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Iran Initiates 'Eqtedar 1403' Drills Near Natanz, Deploying New Air Defense Systems

Jan 7, 2025, 11:46 AM

Iran has initiated a comprehensive military exercise, codenamed 'Eqtedar 1403,' near the Natanz nuclear facility in the central province of Isfahan. The drills, which began on Tuesday, involve both the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), focusing on air defense strategies to protect the nuclear site. The first phase of the exercise saw air defense units practicing point-defense tactics against simulated aerial threats, including electronic warfare conditions. The IRGC Aerospace Force engaged with 30 aerial targets during the drill, employing a new air defense missile system known as 358, equipped with loitering munitions. Brigadier General Qader Rahimzadeh, commander of the Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Base, announced the deployment of new, undisclosed air defense systems near sensitive locations across the country. The exercises are part of a broader series planned nationwide, in response to escalating tensions and potential threats from Israel and the United States. Additionally, the drills included simulating the interception of a bunker buster bomb targeting the underground Natanz nuclear site.