Iran conducts war exercise to protect nuclear sites

Tehran: Iran deployed warplanes and missiles Monday in an ‘exercise' to protect nuclear sites and warned it could cut oil exports to more European Union nations unless sanctions were lifted.

The stance marked a hardening of the Islamic republic's defiance in an international standoff over its nuclear programme and suggested it was readying for any eventual confrontation.

The moves were announced the same day as officials from the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency arrived in Tehran for a second round of talks they said were focused on "the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear programme."

Four days of manoeuvres

Iran's military said in a statement Monday that it has launched four days of manoeuvres in the south of the country aimed at boosting anti-air defences to protect nuclear sites.

Missiles, anti-aircraft artillery, radars and warplanes were being deployed in the exercise it dubbed "Sarollah".