IRGC hosts Shanghai bloc's Sahand-2025 anti-terrorism drill in NW Iran
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has hosted a major counter-terrorism drill involving various military units from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan.
The extensive exercise, codenamed Sahand-2025 and hosted by the IRGC Ground Force, kicked off in the operational area of the Imam Zaman Mechanized Brigade in Shabestar County on Monday, and is scheduled to wrap up on December 5.
Colonel Shahram Askariyan, deputy head of the Public Relations Department of the IRGC Ground Force, said the five-day drill has been organized in accordance with directives from the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Executive Committee of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS).
He said the counter-terrorism exercise holds special strategic importance as it seeks to enhance regional security cooperation.
IRGC Ground Force units join the Sahand 2025 anti-terrorism exercise in northwestern Iran, with five Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states taking part.
— PressTV Extra (@PresstvExtra) December 1, 2025
Follow: https://t.co/7Dg3b41hTx pic.twitter.com/LwiLKo8buK
Askariyan highlighted Iran’s long-standing record in combating terrorism, saying the Islamic Republic has consistently been at the forefront of the fight against terrorist groups.
More than 17,000 Iranian citizens, including women and children, have been killed in terrorist attacks over the past years, he said.
The SCO, which has its headquarters in China, is the world's largest regional organization in terms of area and population.
It has nine member states, namely, Iran, China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
In July 2023, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization officially approved Iran's full-fledged membership in the organization.
The SCO is one of the world’s largest regional organizations, accounting for around one-third of the global gross domestic product (GDP), roughly 40 percent of the world’s population, and nearly two-thirds of the entire Eurasian landmass.
Persian Gulf security a 'red line' for Iran, says IRGC commander
IRGC Navy to stage two-day military exercise in Persian Gulf waters
Inside Iran’s air defense network, a robust shield that repelled Israeli-US aggression
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
Trump set to unveil Gaza governance plan before Christmas: Report
Iran condemns US sanctions as 'crimes against humanity'
Ireland, Spain and Netherlands quit Eurovision Song Contest over Israel
Palestinian Prisoners' Society warns of Israel's 'slow execution' of Abu Tair
VIDEO | Sahand-2025: Iran initiative to battle terrorism
Iran warns UN of humanitarian impact of unilateral coercive measures
VIDEO | Racism and xenophobia in US
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
