News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Iran will launch three-day military maneuvers on Monday, which will include the testing of anti-aircraft weaponry, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency on Sunday.  The announcement follows a pronouncement by Iran's chief of staff on Tuesday that comprehensive military drills will take place throughout the Muslim fast of Ramadan.

Iran's regular armed forces and the country's Revolutionary Guards - a special unit formed after the 1979 Islamic revolution, which is particularly loyal to Ahmedinejad's regime - will take part in the exercise.

The Tehran-based English-language newspaper Iran Daily says the drills are aimed at upgrading and maintaining combat preparedness.

Monday's exercise is specifically designed to deter American and Israeli attacks on Iran's budding nuclear facilities.