Iran's war games

TEHRAN, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Iran's military staged war games that analysts said appear to be designed to test defenses of the country's nuclear facilities.

Iran's nuclear program has been the center of international concern for years. Tehran says the program is strictly for peaceful purposes but many other countries said Iran is seeking to develop a nuclear weapons capability. There have been suggestions some countries, notably Israel, may try a pre-emptive attack on the Iranian facilities to stall the program.

Iran state television said the five-day military exercises would be carried out over central, southern and western sections of Iran, which would include an area where the Natanz uranium enrichment plant is located.

The country's army, Revolutionary Guard and paramilitary forces are involved, state media said. Part of the agenda is to see how well communications systems hold up in case of electronic attack.