Iran starts 'biggest' war games

TEHERAN: Iran's armed forces launched large-scale air defense war games yesterday to show off the country's deterrence capabilities in the face of pressure from the West over its nuclear program.

The display of military muscle comes at a time of rising tension between Iran and six major powers, which fear Teheran's nuclear program is aimed at producing nuclear weapons. Teheran denies this is the program's purpose.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards and military forces jointly started five days of manoeuvres in various parts of the Islamic state, Brigadier General Ahmad Mighani said, according to state television.