On December 4, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a two-day naval drill across several strategic waters, including the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, and the area around the Nazeat Islands.
According to Tasnim News Agency, the exercise is named “Mohammad Nazeri,” after an IRGC naval special forces commander who died in 2016. The IRGC Navy stated it has issued “strong warnings to U.S. warships present in the region,” urging them to stay away from the exercise zone. “Naval units have sent warnings to the American vessel, delivering their firm message,” Iranian state media reported, without specifying the content of the message.
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U.S. forces stationed in the Gulf have not commented. The drills come more than five months after the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in June. Iranian state television said the exercise aims to showcase the “spirit of sacrifice and resilience” of IRGC naval forces in confronting all threats.
During the maneuvers, the IRGC is deploying a range of modern equipment under simulated electronic warfare conditions. Advanced air-defense systems such as the Navab, Majid, and Misaq have been used. Iranian media emphasized that these systems “can detect aerial and maritime targets using AI” and strike with high accuracy.
IRGC Deputy Commander Ali Fadavi declared that “no country can diminish the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz” and vowed that the IRGC will maintain control over the waterway. He stressed that Gulf security is Tehran’s “red line,” accusing the United States and Israel of fueling global instability. The Strait of Hormuz, a V-shaped waterway between Iran, the UAE, and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It stretches 161 km long, narrows to 33 km at its tightest point, and has shipping lanes only about 3 km wide in each direction.
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that in 2024, more than 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade and 20% of global liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia, Iran, the UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq export the majority of their oil via this route.