Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran launched large-scale naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, state-run Mehr News reported on Monday.

According to the outlet, the drills, called “Smart Control in the Strait of Hormuz,” were conducted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to test the readiness of participating units, rehearse responses to potential threats, and leverage Iran’s strategic position. The training also focused on rapid, coordinated, and decisive actions by operational IRGC forces against any activity that could endanger maritime security.

The exercises coincide with Iran’s preparations for another round of indirect negotiations with the United States in Geneva on Tuesday. The meeting follows the February 6 talks in Muscat, which both sides described as a constructive start despite persistent differences. Tehran maintains that discussions must remain centered on the nuclear program and rejects any dialogue on its missile capabilities, while Washington pushes for broader concessions, including halting uranium enrichment and curbing support for regional allies such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, Yemen's Ansarallah, and armed groups in Iraq —proposals Iranian officials have consistently dismissed.

Read more: US-Iran Muscat talks: A diplomatic opening shadowed by red lines