Authored by Federico Pieraccini via The Strategic Culture Foundation,
While the world continues to decipher, or digest, the new Trump presidency, important changes are afoot within the grand strategic triangle that lies between Russia, Iran and China
With little active US presence in the region (see latest naval map below), on Sunday Iran launched a massive naval drill at the mouth of the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Ships, submarines and helicopters will take part in the drills across an area of about 2 million square kilometers (772,000 square miles) and marines will showcase their skills along Iran's southeastern coast, the state news agency IRNA said even as tensions with the United States continue to build after U.S President Donald Trump put Tehran "on notice".
Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned President Trump that Iran and the US have “dark days ahead” following Trump’s threats over Iran’s nuclear programme. Trump warned Iran last week that the country was “on notice” following Tehran’s continued testing of ballistic missiles. Iran responded by firing another weapon on Sunday and issuing Trump with their own warning. Dailystar.co.uk reports: Earlier this week Khamenei struck back after a meeting with his military leaders and promised the nation is planning to respond to mark today’s anniversary of the Iran’s revolution in 1979.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied on Friday, taking to the streets of Tehran to celebrate the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and denounce President Trump’s recent statements about Iran.
On the anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution which toppled the U.S.-backed House of Pahlavi, a flod of marchers, including hundreds of military personnel and policemen headed towards Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square. They carried "Death to America" banners and effigies of Trump, while a military police band played traditional Iranian revolutionary songs.
Iran does appears to not be taking Trump's escalating threats too seriously, because just one day after the US imposed restrictions on 25 Iranian individuals and entities in response to a ballistic missile test last week (a move which provoked Tehran to answer by saying it would disclose the names of US individuals and companies involved in "helping and founding" terrorist groups), Iran carried out more missile tests during a military exercise on Saturday.