TEHRAN // Iran launched an air- defence exercise yesterday aimed at sending a "strong warning" to those threatening it, a Revolutionary Guard general said.
The start of the manoeuvres, originally scheduled for early October but postponed without an explanation, was announced on the website of the Revolutionary Guards, sepahnews.com.
The drill comes against a backdrop of growing tension in the Arabian Gulf, but appears unconnected to an incident last week when two Iranian fighter jets fired on an unarmed US drone.
About 8,000 troops drawn from the ranks of the guards, the army and the Basij militia are participating in the exercise, which will last for four days and take place over an area of 850,000 square kilometres in the country's eastern regions, according to media reports.
Various missile and artillery systems as well as fighter jets and bombers will be used in the exercise, they said.
The units will also test "fixed, mobile and tactical radar devices and tactical and airborne electronic surveillance systems", said Brig Gen Farzad Esmaili, the head of the guards' air defence command.
Iran frequently conducts manoeuvres to underline its military muscle.
Such exercises have increased in recent years amid growing tensions with the West and Israeli threats of possible air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.
"For those who are thinking of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the exercise should be seen as a strong warning," Brig Gen Shahrokh Shahram told Iran's English-language Press TV.
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
It Was Just an Accident
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if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
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Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com
The Brutalist
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Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
