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Akbar Novruz

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The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) started military drills in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the local Tasnim Agency, the exercise, titled Smart Control of Hormuz Strait, was organised to test the army ahead of "possible security and military threats."

The main goals of the drill are to "assess the readiness of the IRGC's naval units, review security plans and possible scenarios for a mutual military response in the face of security and military threats in the Strait region, as well as make smart use of Iran's geopolitical advantages in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman," Tasnim reported.

The drills came ahead of Iran's negotiations with the United States on its nuclear status in Geneva. The use of the Strait of Hormuz has been one of the main points of discussion and misunderstanding between Iran and Washington.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, on Sunday, confirmed for the BBC in an interview published on Sunday that the next round of talks between Tehran and the United States will take place on February 17.

He stated that the ball is now "in America's court to prove that they want to do a deal," further adding that if Washington is sincere, there will be a chance for an agreement.

The deputy minister stressed that Iran is ready to make a compromise in order to get the deal done. He mentioned that currently, the negotiations are moving "in a positive direction." Nonetheless, he said that it is too early to make a judgment.