Iran Holds Huge Military Exercise

Middle East Newsline:

Iran has completed a huge military exercise that tested Teheran's ability to attack Western shipping and Arab oil facilities in the Gulf.

Western diplomatic sources said that in December 2005 Iran completed its largest military exercise in years. The sources said the military conducted an air and sea exercise designed to test capabilities to strike U.S. and Arab targets throughout the Persian Gulf.

"The exercise was meant to show the West that Iran could stop all oil shipments in the Gulf and destroy numerous oil facilities in Gulf Arab countries," a diplomatic source said.

The exercise included a range of fighter-jets and helicopters from the Iranian Air Force. The navy contributed surface vessels and submarines.