Iran Conducts Drills in Hormuz Strait Ahead of Nuclear Deal Restoration Talks

"Operation to Prevent Enemy Landing Operation"
Frequent Clashes Between Fleets of Both Countries...Nuclear Agreement Negotiations Expected to Face Difficulties

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Iran announced that it will conduct large-scale military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than 20% of the world's oil passes. This is interpreted as a show of force to pressure the United States and Western countries ahead of the restoration talks of the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action).

According to foreign media including Al Jazeera on the 7th (local time), the Iranian military announced that it will conduct large-scale military exercises covering an area of about 1 million km² in the Strait of Hormuz and the northern part of the Gulf of Oman starting from that day. Abdolrahim Mousavi, Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces, appeared on Iranian state TV and stated, "Since enemy forces have been deployed in this area, we are strengthening efforts to monitor their movements. Through this exercise, we will carry out operational capabilities to prevent enemy landing operations and maintain the coastal defense line."

The enemy referred to by the Iranian military is interpreted as the U.S. Navy recently dispatched to the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman area. Earlier, on the 3rd, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran claimed that the U.S. military attempted to seize an oil tanker passing through the Gulf of Oman adjacent to Iran.

However, the U.S. side explained the opposite, stating that the Iranian navy illegally seized a Vietnamese-flagged oil tanker. The Associated Press, citing multiple U.S. officials, revealed, "Iran's claim is not true, and the Iranian navy actually seized the Vietnamese-flagged oil tanker MV Sothys on the 24th of last month."

The northern area of the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman is a major oil transportation route through which more than 20% of the world's oil passes. The U.S. has dispatched warships to monitor Iran, accusing it of violating sanctions by illegally trading crude oil with China, Syria, and others. Due to this, frequent clashes between the two countries' naval vessels have occurred in the area. With the resumption of the Iran nuclear deal restoration talks scheduled for the 29th of this month, military tensions between the two countries are rising, raising concerns about the collapse of the negotiations, according to the Associated Press.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.