Iran's Revolutionary Guards hold military drills in Tehran as ceasefire teeters

Tehran: Iran's Revolutionary Guards held military exercises in capital Tehran to prepare for any confrontation, state media reported Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump warned a ceasefire in the Middle East war was on the brink of collapse.

The drills involved the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC, the ideological arm of Iran's military, as well as the Basij, a paramilitary force affiliated with the Guards, according to state TV.

"Enhancing combat capability to confront any movement of the American-Zionist enemy was one of the goals and scenarios implemented in this drill, which was successfully carried out," Brigadier General Hassan Hassanzadeh, commander of the Tehran Revolutionary Guards, was quoted as saying by state TV.


Click here for live updates on the US, Israel-Iran war

The war, which started more than two months ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, spread across the Middle East and damaged the global economy, affecting hundreds of millions worldwide.

Iran has choked off the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital route out of the Gulf for oil, gas and fertiliser, seeking to wield economic leverage over the United States and its allies.

The US Navy, meanwhile, is blockading Iran's ports, at times disabling or diverting ships heading to and from them.