“The joint military exercise Zolfaghar 1403 will begin tomorrow on the Makran coast, the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean,” Habibollah Sayyari, the Iranian army’s deputy coordinator, said today.

With US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, Tehran has stepped up its displays of force through large-scale military exercises, unveiling new equipment and showcasing underground military bases.

Iran has also been signalling to western countries, particularly the US, that it is ready to resume talks over its nuclear programme, a source of tension for decades.

Tomorrow’s exercises have the “objective of strengthening defence and deterrence capabilities against any land, air and sea threat”, Sayyari added.

In recent weeks, Iran has conducted military exercises across the country, including near nuclear facilities in the west and centre of the country.