Shervin Omidvar ‎

The holding of several exercise, or maneuvers as they are called in Iran, by the Basij and ‎State Security Forces in Tehran and other cities in the past 2 weeks, which coincide with ‎Basij security rounds in the city’s neighborhoods, has imposed a security-police ‎atmosphere in Tehran and many other of Iran’s metropolitan areas. ‎

On Teusday, 15 thousand members of “Ashura” and “Al-Zahra” brigades, in charge of ‎suppressing urban unrest, and “Karbala,” “Zolfaghar” and “Imam Hussein” brigades, ‎which are moderately armed with semi-heavy artillery in case of a military strike against ‎the country, held military maneavers in the presence of President Mahmoud ‎Ahmadinejad. ‎

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported, “Coinciding with these events in ‎Tehran, 3 thousand exemplary Basij brigades will put their force on show across the ‎nation.” ‎

Basij commander Hossein Taeb noted at the beginning of a ceremony attended by ‎Ahmadinejad and held in eastern Tehran, “We have gathered here to represent 13 million ‎and 6,000 Basijis organized in 1905 Ashura brigades, 446 Al-Zahra brigades, 259 Imam ‎Hussein brigades, 51,804 armed Karbala units and 213 Zolfaghar brigades.” ‎

He described yesterday’s maneuver in Tehran and across the country as “demonstration ‎of Basij’s might” and noted that the Basij would continue to play an instrumental role in ‎controlling “social unrest.” ‎

Meanwhile, the head of State Security Forces Hassan Firouzabadi said during a 15-‎thousand strong Basiji maneuver in Tehran that the Islamic Republic supreme leader had ‎ordered every commander in the armed forces and said, “Threats exists. I want you to be ‎prepared to meet these threats. Do not be caught by surprise.” ‎

Firouzabadi also said to Basiji members, “The Qoran tells believers to fights enemies that ‎come close to them. If Americans get close they must feel your might.” ‎

Three days ago, Firouzabadi’s deputy, Gholamali Rashid, had told ISNA, “Falling oil ‎prices, Israel and Al-Qaeda’s agitations and social developments are three major threats” ‎facing the Islamic Republic regime. ‎

Meanwhile, Ahmad Reza Radan, a top commander in the State Security Forces ‎announced that, following the 6-day maneuver held in Tehran last week, similar ‎maneuvers would be held in coming weeks in the three provinces of Khuzestan, Sistan ‎and Baluchistan and Hormozgan. ‎