Amid protests, Iran conducts missile & air defense drills in apparent effort to deter foreign interventions

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly conducted missile and air defense exercises near Tehran and Shiraz on Sunday evening, amid ongoing protests across the Islamic Republic. 

Several social media accounts posted pictures of apparent missile launches and Iranian military aircraft involved in the exercises, starting late Sunday evening. 

While Iranian regime-affiliated news sites did not confirm the exercises, on Monday morning, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei said that the Iranian Armed Forces remain vigilant and are strengthening their preparedness to defend the country against a possible Israeli attack.

Baqaei’s comments came during his weekly press conference in Tehran. 

#Breaking
Iranian state television: #Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has begun a military exercise involving missile launches & testing of air defence systems. https://t.co/Y4JUjYt5D6
The exercise is taking place in several cities, including Tehran & Shiraz.#IRGC… pic.twitter.com/RIL42AwB9M

— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) January 4, 2026

He also accused Israel and Iran’s enemies of engaging in a psychological warfare strategy to pressure Iran. 

“Psychological warfare and media propaganda against the country are part of the opposing side’s strategy to exert pressure on Iran and are nothing new. What matters to us is that we are closely monitoring the actions of the other parties with full vigilance and commitment, and that our Armed Forces will not show the slightest negligence or leniency when it comes to defending Iran’s sovereignty and national integrity,” Baqaei said. 

His comments appeared to align with speculations regarding the exercises, as many online accounts claimed that the air defense exercises were in preparation for a possible Israeli strike in the near future.

Reports in Hebrew and Arab media said that U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are in agreement regarding future military strikes against Iran, if the Islamic Republic fails to reach an agreement with the U.S. over its nuclear program, or if it begins attempts to seriously rehabilitate its ballistic missile program in anticipation of strikes on Israel. 

Trump renewed his threats against the regime on Monday, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that the U.S. is watching the protests "very closely."

"If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” he said.

At the same time, over the weekend, Asian news sites reported the arrival, within a 48-hour window, of five Russian Ilyushin Il-76 heavy military transport aircraft in Iran.

At this point, the contents of the transport aircraft are not clear, although in the past, Russia has used such planes to bring surface-to-air missile components, radar systems, and armored vehicles for use by the Iranian regime. 

The military exercises come as protests in Iran enter their ninth day, and as reports indicate that at least 17 protesters have been killed in clashes with government forces.

The Iranian regime has also tightened internet restrictions in the country, in an apparent attempt to limit cooperation among protesters and the dissemination of photos and videos of the crackdowns to international media.