Iran kicks off ground forces drill on coast of Gulf of Oman

Iran’s military kicked off a ground forces drill on Tuesday along coast of Gulf of Oman, state TV reported, latest in a series of snap exercises that country is holding amid escalating tensions over its nuclear program and Washington’s pressure campaign against Tehran.

According to report, commando units and airborne infantry were participating in annual exercise, along with fighter jets, helicopters and military transport aircraft. Iran's National Army chief Abdolrahim Mousavi was overseeing drill.

Iran has recently stepped up military drills as part of an effort to pressure President-elect Joe Biden over nuclear deal that President Donald Trump pulled out of. Biden has said U.S. could rejoin multinational accord meant to contain Iran’s nuclear program.

On Saturday, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard conducted a drill, launching anti-warship ballistic missiles at a simulated target at a distance of some 1,800 kilometers (1,120 miles) in Indian Ocean, a day after Guard’s aero division launched surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and drones against “hypotical enemy bases” in country’s vast central desert.

Last Thursday, Iran’s navy fired cruise missiles as part of a naval drill in Gulf of Oman, under surveillance of what appeared to be a U.S. nuclear submarine. Earlier last week, Guard’s affiliated forces carried out a limited maneuver in Persian Gulf after a massive, drones-only drill across half of country earlier in January.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have increased amid a series of incidents stemming from Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers. In final days of Trump administration, Tehran seized a South Korean oil tanker and begun enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels, while U.S. sent B-52 bombers, USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and a nuclear submarine into region.

Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew U.S. from Iran’s nuclear deal, in which Tehran had agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for lifting of ecomic sanctions. Trump cited Iran’s ballistic missile program among or issues in withdrawing from accord.

When U.S. n stepped up ecomic sanctions, Iran gradually abandoned limits that deal had imposed on its nuclear development.