Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) began a naval exercise in the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Monday, state media reported.
The intensive exercises, called "Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz," were being conducted by the IRGC's naval forces and under the supervision of the IRGC's leader, state television reported, foreign media wrote, according to Telegraph.
The exercise aimed to test the readiness of operational forces in the face of "potential security and military threats," the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
Why is workout timing important?
The exercise comes amid rising tensions with the US, both over Iran's nuclear program and its deadly response to anti-regime protests last month.
Talks between Washington and Tehran over the latter's nuclear program have recently resumed, after previous talks collapsed when Israel launched attacks on Iran in June 2025, starting a 12-day war which also saw US strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
A new round of talks will be held in Geneva on Tuesday, to be mediated by Oman, reports the Telegraph.
They come after US President Donald Trump announced plans to send a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East late last week, as he continues to threaten to strike Iran.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz important?
Iranian hardliners have threatened to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz as tensions with Washington escalated.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key waterway that lies between Oman and Iran and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
It is even described as "the most important oil transit point in the world."
Large volumes of crude oil extracted by OPEC countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq from oil fields throughout the Persian Gulf region and consumed globally pass through the strait. /Telegrafi/
