TEHRAN — The naval branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) staged a two-day "power exercise" this week in the Gulf, highlighting Tehran's determination to assert control over the Abu Musa and Greater and Lesser Tunb islands, which have been occupied by Iran since 1971.

On the first day of the drills, according to the state broadcaster, the naval units issued "firm warnings" to nearby US vessels while deploying domestically produced air-defense systems, including the Majid platform, the vertically launched Navvab missiles and the Misagh shoulder-fired missile system. The IRGC also announced it has used artificial intelligence to detect and engage aerial and maritime targets with precision.

The drill coincided with renewed tensions linked to a long-standing territorial dispute with the United Arab Emirates, which also lays claim to the three contested islands. A day before the drill, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reiterated support for Abu Dhabi's stance and warned against Iranian development projects on the islands. 

The GCC denounced "the escalatory positions and measures" taken by Iran, including housing projects, noting that those actions "do not change the historical and legal facts" that confirm the UAE's sovereignty over the three islands.