IRGC-GF ‘Great Prophet 11' exercise, phase two and three

Iran media imagery dated 22FEB2017 depicting phase 2 and 3 of IRGC-GF "Great Prophet 11" exercise, performed in the desert region of central and northeastern Iran.

IRGC-GF mechanized force, possibly elements of 21st "Imam Reza" Armored Brigade

IRGC-GF T-72 type main battle tank with BMP-2 type infantry fighting vehicle

Foreground: IRGC-GF Boragh (Type 86 / BMP-1) armored personnel carrier

Left: Boragh variant equipped with Fajr-1 ("Dawn-1") multip'e rocket launcher

Right: Unidentified AFV variant equipped with RWS comprising 2A14 gun fitted with CCD camera

IRGC-GF equipped with late model Canadian BRP Can-Am Outlander type ATVs. Note Can-Am ATV on left equipped with factory track system.

IRGC-GF Can-Am Outlander type All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)

IRGC-GF equipped with earlier model Can-AM ATVs. Note AK-103 assault rifle, part of a lot shipment recently acquired by the Russian Federation.

IRGC-GF Fajr-5C ("Dawn-5C") guided artillery rocket launcher

IRGC-GF Aviation Bell AH-1J Toufan-2 attack helicopter, serial 12.2208.

IRGC-GF Aviation Bell AH-1J Toufan-2 with IRIAA Bell AH-1J International Cobra (209)

IRGC-GF Shahed 123 ("Eye-witness 123") reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Foreground: IRGC-GF major with a chief warrant officer at his side

VIDEOS:

Photos:
Mahmood Hosseini at Tasnim News Agency
Asghar Khamseh at Mehr News Agency
Armin Karami at Fars News Agency
Moshen Ranginkaman at Defa Press
Islamic Republic News Agency

IRGC-GF ‘Great Prophet 11' exercise, phase one - UPDATED

Imagery dated 20FEB2017 depicting phase one of IRGC-GF Payambar-e-A’azam 11 ("Great Prophet 11") exercise held at Dasht-e Kavir, Iran.

IRGC-GF Fajr-5C (“Dawn-5C”) 333 mm guided surface-to-surface artillery rockets 

IRGC-GF Fajr-5 ("Dawn-5") 333 mm multiple rocket launcher

Iran media implied usage of the newly publicized Fajr-5C (“Dawn-5C”) 333 mm guided surface-to-surface artillery rocket system (GARS). However none were shown in operation so far, during the exercise.

IRGC-GF Fajr-5 multiple rocket launcher battery in operation during Great Prophet 11 exercise at at Dasht-e Kavir.

IRGC-GF Fajr-5 crew members using two-way portable radio device and laptop computer

IRGC-GF Fajr-5 crew member operating military theodolite / artillery director. Note Russian-style peaked cap

IRGC-GF Naze'at-10H “Mushak” artillery rocket

IRGC-GF Naze'at-10H “Mushak” artillery rocket, in firing position

IRGC-GF Commander Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour shakes hands with Saberin Takavar Battalion colonel.

PressTV video still of launched Shahab ("Meteor") tactical SRBM. (This may or may not have been file footage.)

VIDEO:

Iran-supported Iraqi PMF advocates expulsion of U.S. nationals

This weekend’s signing of a U.S. executive order barring immingration and travel by Iraqi citizens into the United States is having a potential ripple effect on CJTF-OIR.

According to Reuters:

Popular Mobilization, a coalition of mainly Shiite Muslim paramilitary groups armed and trained by Iran to fight Islamic State, urged Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's government to expel US nationals.

Influential Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said on Sunday American citizens should leave Iraq. "It would be arrogance for you[Americans] to enter Iraq and other countries freely while barring them entrance to your country ... and therefore you should get your nationals out," he said on his website.

The IRGC is sure to capitalize on Iraqi popular reaction to this ban; where inside Iraq a contest of influence has been playing out between Iran and the United States stretching as far back as OIF. Now, however, is an ensuing, critical period of intensifying, competing interests as the Mosul military campaign culminates in the defeat of ISIS.

U.S. interests in the region would have the PMF stand down after the effective defeat of ISIS, having ISF provide security for the Republic of Iraq. However, the executive order effectively undercuts the Iraqi PM while serving to bolster popular regional perceptions towards that shared by the IRGC and PMF. That is to say, Iraq is now being rendered the same as Iran, pairing the two by means of a U.S. policy orientation.

Perhaps an intended effect of the U.S. executive order is to exert leverage on the Iraqi government to separate from Iran, during forthcoming negotiations between the Trump Administration and the Iraqi government. If so, publicly the Iraqi PM might be enabled with a rescinding of the ban, while the liberation of Mosul is at hand. Furthermore, this might even fit within the 90-day time frame of the executive order.