Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has kicked off live-fire naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz as tensions with the United States grow ahead of a second round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva. The drills come amid an increased U.S. military presence in the region, signaling heightened geopolitical friction over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and regional conduct.
The naval exercises, dubbed “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz,” focus on assessing readiness and rehearsing responses to perceived security threats in the narrow waterway through which roughly 20 % of the world’s seaborne oil passes. The IRGC stated the drills aim to evaluate operational units and reinforce Iran’s strategic posture in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
The drills coincide with the second round of indirect nuclear talks in Geneva, mediated by Oman, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi as both sides seek a path forward on long-standing disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran has expressed willingness to negotiate limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief but insists any deal must not be reached under pressure.
The U.S. military has ramped up its presence in the Middle East, including around-the-clock flight operations by carriers like the USS Abraham Lincoln as part of a broader deployment intended to pressure Iran. President Trump has maintained that curbing Iran’s nuclear program and regional influence remains a top priority, even as diplomatic engagements continue.
The juxtaposition of naval drills and high-stakes diplomacy illustrates the fragile balance between military posturing and negotiation. As the world watches, developments in the Strait of Hormuz and Geneva will shape the evolving U.S.–Iran dynamic with far-reaching implications for regional stability and global energy markets.
