Iran Army Trains for Electronic Warfare, Simulates Air Attacks

Iranian army commander Abdolrahim Mousavi and General Habibollah Sayyari inaugurate the electronic warfare exercises. (Iranian state TV)
Iranian army commander Abdolrahim Mousavi and General Habibollah Sayyari inaugurate the electronic warfare exercises. (Iranian state TV)
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Iran Army Trains for Electronic Warfare, Simulates Air Attacks

Iranian army commander Abdolrahim Mousavi and General Habibollah Sayyari inaugurate the electronic warfare exercises. (Iranian state TV)
Iranian army commander Abdolrahim Mousavi and General Habibollah Sayyari inaugurate the electronic warfare exercises. (Iranian state TV)

The Iranian army kicked off electronic warfare drills, simulating combat conditions and air attacks by fighter jets, drones, and helicopters.

Iranian media showed video footage of Iranian army commander-in-chief Abdolrahim Mousavi and deputy chief for coordination General Habibollah Sayyari at the command center of the electronic warfare drills.

They were seen communicating with army commanders via a television network before the launch of the drills, codenamed “Shield of the State’s Guardians.”

The Army's Public Relations Department said the exercises include electronic support operations for fighter jets and drones and testing electronic defense systems against drones.

Reuters quoted state television as saying that units of the naval, ground, and air forces, as well as air defenses, participated in the exercises in the largely desert central region in central Iran.

The drills featured locally-made radars, drones, manned and unmanned combat jets, micro aerial vehicles, and other military equipment.

State-run English Press TV quoted Sayyari as saying the army has the appropriate infrastructure and has achieved favorable results in countering threats in today’s world and predicting future threats in this sensitive and complicated arena.

Iran has developed a large domestic arms industry in the face of international sanctions and embargoes that bar it from importing many weapons.

Western military analysts say Iran sometimes exaggerates its weapons capabilities.

On Tuesday, Tehran announced the manufacture of an advanced, domestically-made drone called “Mohajer-10,” with an enhanced range and flight duration, with a greater payload-carrying capacity.

The United States accuses Iran of providing Russia with the Mohajer-6 drones, among other drones, since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine, which Tehran denies.



Iran’s Khatami: 60% Non-Participation Unprecedented, Signaling Majority Anger

Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
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Iran’s Khatami: 60% Non-Participation Unprecedented, Signaling Majority Anger

Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)
Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian meets former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami after receiving endorsement from the Reformist Front before the first round of voting (Jamaran)

Former reformist president Mohammad Khatami called the recent Iranian elections “unprecedented,” noting that over 60% of Iranians abstained from voting, which he said shows widespread anger among the population.

In the upcoming presidential runoff, hardliner Saeed Jalili and reformist Masoud Pezeshkian are vying to mobilize millions of voters on Friday, despite general apathy towards the tightly controlled election.

More than 60% of voters did not participate in the June 28 election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash. This record low turnout is seen by critics as a sign of no confidence in Iran.

Reuters predicts a close race on Friday between Pezeshkian, the only reformist candidate from the first round, and Jalili, a current representative of the Supreme Leader on the National Security Council and a former Revolutionary Guard member.

The candidates are promoting sharply different agendas to attract voters. Jalili advocates strict domestic and foreign policies, while Pezeshkian calls for more social and political freedoms.

Both promise to revive Iran’s struggling economy plagued by mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions since 2018 due to Iran’s nuclear program.

The ruling authorities seek high voter turnout to maintain legitimacy amid Western pressure over Iran’s nuclear advancements and regional tensions like the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Voter turnout in Iran has been declining, hitting a low of 41% in March’s parliamentary elections. In 2021, Raisi was elected with a 49% turnout after disqualifying many experienced candidates.

On his part, Khatami urged leaders to heed voter dissatisfaction, emphasizing voting as a national right and a political statement. He backed Pezeshkian, citing his integrity as a former health minister.

Khatami further urged Iranians to choose between Jalili’s path, seen as undermining rights and exacerbating poverty, and Pezeshkian’s path, which aims to enhance justice and address citizens’ needs.