Iran’s official IRNA news agency on Sunday reported that the country’s Revolutionary Guards will begin a ground forces drill near the shared border with Pakistan’s Balochistan province from Tuesday.
The report quotes the chief of IRGC’s ground forces, Mohammad Khakpour, as saying the three-day exercise will be carried out in four provinces and it will use and test the IRGC’s latest equipment ─ including the guards’ new helicopter unit.
The drills come over two weeks after the arrest of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was announced by Pakistan, an incident which Iranian President Hassan Rouhani denied discussing with Pakistani leadership ─ contrary to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations.
Jadhav, who is suspected of having entered Balochistan through Iran, was arrested during a raid in Chaman, claim military officials.
Tehran later slammed Pakistani media for circulating ‘undignified rumours’ regarding the Iranian reaction to Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent Jadhav’s arrest ─ without specifying what rumours it was referring to.
Pakistan has asked Iran to investigate and share details of Jadhav’s activities in Iran, along with those of his colleague, who has been identified as RAW Sub Inspector Rakesh alias Rizwan.