Iran to hold military exercises

TEHRAN, July 19 (UPI) -- Iran is planning military exercises in September that will include the use of its Azarakhsh jet fighters.

Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, speaking on the sidelines of a Majlis (parliament) session in Tehran, gave no other details, but added that Iran was also hoping to soon hold joint exercises with other Gulf countries as it efforts to broaden military cooperation, according to a report in Iran Daily.

Production of the Azarakhsh was first announced in the late 1990s. The Azarakhsh, which can fly at Mach 2, is believed based on the old U.S.-made F-4 Phantom and F-5 Tiger. Some of its avionics, radar and weapons systems were believed reverse-engineered from more modern U.S. combat aircraft system components Iran was able to obtain despite U.S. export restrictions.