TEHRAN – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has launched the first phase of a large-scale live-fire drill across Iran’s islands in the Persian Gulf as its diplomats prepare for a second round of nuclear negotiations with Washington, while the prospect of a new war with the U.S. requires preparations for a potential closure of the Hormuz Strait.

The drill, named “Smart Control of the Hormuz Strait,” is being conducted around Iran’s strategic islands. It is directly overseen by the IRGC’s chief commander, Major General Mohammad Pakpour, according to the body’s public relations office. 

The commander of the IRGC Navy, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, described the first phase of the drill as a success. In remarks to the Tehran Times, he said Iran is using its islands as core military assets in the maneuvers.

“The Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz are impregnable fortresses and unsinkable aircraft carriers that represent the national honor of Iranians,” Admiral Tangsiri said. “The mission to defend these islands and the entirety of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz has been entrusted to the IRGC Navy.”

The maneuvers come against a backdrop of escalating American military deployments. U.S. officials confirmed on February 12 that the Pentagon was sending thousands of additional troops, guided-missile destroyers, and a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to West Asia. President Trump confirmed the carrier’s deployment on Friday, stating it would be arriving “very soon.” 

The American military buildup has continued unabated since early January, despite a fresh round of nuclear negotiations, with the Iranian delegation departing Tehran for Geneva on Sunday night. The previous talks collapsed after the U.S. and Israel launched a 12-day bombing campaign against Iran just as discussions were set to resume. Trump now says he will launch a second war against Iran with the equipment he has sent to the Persian Gulf if a new deal is not reached on his terms.

Military analysts in Tehran have praised the latest IRGC drills as a vital preparation for potential American aggression, noting that the exercises test naval readiness against foreign threats in the strait—a choke point for nearly a third of the world’s seaborne oil. Iran’s navy did not take part in the June war. 

During Monday’s exercises, rapid-response battalions stationed on the islands practiced new offensive and defensive tactics. Admiral Tangsiri noted the use of advanced systems, including new missile platforms operating under simulated electronic warfare conditions.

“Drone and subsurface units of the IRGC Navy also destroyed designated targets, launching their operations from the three Iranian islands,” he added, referring to the strategically vital islands of Bu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs.

The commander said the drill was a routine annual schedule, but he also pointed to a significant evolution in Iranian capabilities. “The difference in this drill is the tactics and equipment being employed,” he said. “We are showcasing some of them in images, but there are many assets we cannot publish; they are being saved for the day of need.”

Admiral Tangsiri also announced that the IRGC maintains “full 24-hour intelligence dominance” over the strait and is committed to ensuring its security for international trade.

“We are working day and night to ensure that the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains secure for all people of the world who have interests in the Persian Gulf and are non-hostile.”

The main phase of the exercise is scheduled to continue Tuesday with operations focused on the Strait of Hormuz itself.