Investigating the Purposes behind Iranian Naval Exercises

Abstract

The purposes of establishing the military in any country cannot be ignored. The defense forces play vital role from protecting the country's territory and ensuring peaceful co-existence with the neighboring states. They protect territorial waters and ensures that enemies do not enter the country through these strategic locations. Iran is among the countries that have strengthened their military personnel, particularly the navy. Accordingly, military exercises and drills are important to display the country's confidence in protecting its sovereignty and update the skills and knowledge needed to operate effective. The current research used a single case study methodology to explore the purposes of Iranian naval exercises and drills and the nature of exercises conducted from 2007 to date. Notably, the study answers the question: What are the purposes behind Iranian naval exercises? The overall objective was to understand the value of political dimension and the role of geo-political threats and security signaling elements in enabling the country's naval exercises. In order to meet the objectives of the research, two hypotheses were established: countries engage in military exercises for different purposes from feeling threatened to warning or deterring their potential rivals and that most naval exercises for political signaling are likely to occur in conflict. In Iran, the navy is divided into the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) with each conducting a specific role. Secondary data from news media publications, books, journals, and reliable website platforms to guarantee validity and reliability were used. Results indicated that from 2007 to date, the Iran's naval forces have engaged in many exercises with different reasons, including countering the western influence, showing its military power and strength, and ensuring peaceful coexistence with its allies through the joint operations.

Date of Award	Jun 2022
Original language	American English