Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched large-scale military drills in southern Iran on Tuesday, testing new weapons and combat tactics just hours before President Donald Trump was set to deliver his State of the Union address to Congress.
The exercises included live-fire operations with drones, naval and amphibious units, artillery, and ground-launched anti-ship missiles, according to Iranian state media. IRGC ground forces commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Karami said the drills were designed to demonstrate coordination between Iran’s land, sea, air, and missile units against what he called “security threats.”
Iranian state media made repeated references to “new tactics” and “modern combat technologies.” The Fars News Agency reported that “micro-drones and loitering munitions” were tested, including the latest generation of Iran’s Shahed suicide drones. Fars also claimed the IRGC tested “new missile systems” with “pinpoint strike accuracy” and “enhanced warheads,” including missiles capable of switching targets mid-flight.
The timing was no accident. The drills came on the heels of last week’s IRGC naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, which temporarily closed one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes to commercial traffic. Together, the exercises appeared calibrated to signal Iran’s ability to blockade the strait and disrupt global energy supplies in the event of American military action.
“Iran has optimized its strategic use of Iran’s geopolitical advantages in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman,” Iranian state media said of the combined exercises.
While the IRGC was conducting its show of force, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani was reportedly en route to Oman to present Tehran’s latest response to U.S. proposals in ongoing nuclear negotiations. Oman has served as a mediator between Washington and Tehran throughout the current round of talks.
Larijani, a former IRGC commander, was given expanded authority over Iran’s military forces and internal security apparatus by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during last month’s uprising that threatened the Islamist regime. Khamenei was also reportedly concerned about preserving the regime’s command structure in the event of a U.S. airstrike, according to reports at the time.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran would present the United States with a “draft of a possible agreement” sometime this week.
Trump is expected to address the Iran situation during his State of the Union speech, which is scheduled to begin momentarily.
The president has said in recent weeks that resolving the Iranian nuclear threat, either through negotiations or military action, is a prerequisite for advancing his broader Middle East peace agenda. Iran remains a primary backer of Palestinian terror groups, including Hamas.
The dual-track approach from Tehran, conducting weapons tests while simultaneously dispatching a negotiator, mirrors a pattern that has frustrated American policymakers for decades. The IRGC drills served as a reminder that Iran’s military buildup has continued uninterrupted even as diplomatic channels remain open.
