Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Aug. 2

TEHRAN -- The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday kicked off large-scale military drills in the country's southern waters, the official news agency IRNA reported.

According to IRNA, the drills are aimed at displaying "the authority and combat defense preparations of the IRGC Navy in protecting the security of the Persian Gulf and the Iranian islands" including Abu Musa, the Greater