Iran on Thursday launched its first military drills since the 12-day war with Israel, which erupted in June 2025, reported the Associated Press (AP) citing Iranian state media.
The drills, dubbed “Sustainable Power 1404,” comes as Iranian leadership attempts to project power after Israel bombed Iran’s air defense systems, nuclear facilities and other key sites.
The exercise involved Iran’s Navy, which did not take part in the Iran-Israel conflict, firing missiles and drones at open water targets in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean.
“These drills take place around a month after the Iran-Russia drill under the name Casarex 2025 which took place in Iran’s northern waters (Caspian Sea). The Sustainable Power drills…are in Iran’s southern waters,” Iranian state TV said.
Since the end of the war with Israel, Iran has repeatedly stated that it is prepared to counter any future attacks. On Wednesday, the Iranian Defense Minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, said that Tehran has equipped its troops with new missiles to respond to any attacks.
“In response to any potential enemy adventurism, our forces are prepared to use these new missiles effectively,” he said, as quoted by the state-run IRNA news agency.
Similarly, the Defense Ministry threatened a harsh response to any potential Israeli attacks. “Any new adventure by the enemy will be faced with a strong slap,” it said in a statement on Thursday, according to Reuters.
Iran has suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) amid rising tensions over its uranium enrichment levels. Tehran has also suspended negotiations with Washington over its nuclear program after Israel’s war on the country, which the US briefly joined by striking three key nuclear sites.
