TEHRAN, Nov 1: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards will fire off ballistic missiles with a range of more than 1,000km during war games this week, state television reported on Wednesday.

The air, land and naval manoeuvre will take place in 14 provinces starting on Thursday “with the focus on the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea,” army chief General Rahim Safavi was quoted by the television as saying.

“Missiles Shahab-2 and Shahab-3 with cluster warheads and range of over 1,000km will be shot as well as hundreds of rockets and other missiles such as Fateh and Zolfaghar,” Safavi said.

“The first and main goal of this manoevre is to demonstrate power and national determination to defend the country against any possible threat,” he added.

The exercises, titled “Great Prophet 2” will mark the first time the Islamic republic fires its Shahab-3 missile during manoevres.

Iran’s military games follow manoevres launched on Monday by a US-led naval force comprising warships from Australia, Bahrain, France, Italy and Britain near Iranian waters.—AFP