Tehran, Nov 22 (DPA) Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were scheduled to begin military manoeuvres Sunday, the news network Khabar reported.
The exercises will last for five days and mainly focus on testing the air force capabilities and protective measures in case of any potential attacks against the country’s nuclear sites, it said.

Military manoeuvres have recently increased following renewed threats by Israel to attack the country’s nuclear installations. The sites are located in the capital Tehran as well as in central and southern Iran.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has often claimed that no country would dare to attack Iran and challenge its military might.

Tehran says its military strength is for deterrence and self-defence, but not aimed at attacking any country.

But the West fears that Iran could attack its arch-enemy Israel, especially because its Shahab-3 missiles, which are said to have a range of 2,000 km, could reach any part of Israeli territory.

Tehran has not ruled out using the missiles against Israel, but said it would do so only in the case of Israeli airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear sites.