The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports that there has been a major amphibious maneuver around Khorramshahr, which is a key city along the Shatt al—Arab where Iran and Iraq share a border at the Northern part of the Persian Gulf.  Iran captured Khorramshahr in 1982 during the Iran—Iraq War.

Iran has been periodically conducting these combined arms wargames for over a decade, and has used them to demonstrate their resolve to hold strategic gains  or to signal defiance in the face of successful US military operations.  These maneuvers could indicate a counter to Coalition successes in Najaf and Karbala against Iranian backed renegade cleric Muqtada al—Sadr's militia, or perhaps it is upping the ante to perceived or real covert threats against the mullahs, or to perhaps continue covert operations to squeeze Iraq's oil terminal operations off the Al—Faw Peninsula.

Even though the scale of forces is no match for the US or the Coalition, Iran's exercises have evolved into complex combined arms and services operations involving heavy and light forces, airpower, and naval forces cooperating in a manner that is unique among the militaries of that part of the world.

Posted by Douglas Hanson   05 24 04