Iran military shows its might in response to US sanctions

ISTANBUL — Iran began major military exercises Saturday in a defiant response to a week of warnings from the Trump administration, including new sanctions, with a senior Iranian military commander calling the actions “futile” and threatening to “rain” missiles down on the country’s enemies. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s most influential security institution, said it will test missile and radar systems as part of the drill, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. The statement from Iran’s foreign ministry came a day after the Trump administration announced new sanctions on individuals working on Iran’s ballistic missile programs, as well as those who have helped the IRGC support U.S.-designated terrorist groups. Experts say the escalation between the United States and Iran probably won’t unravel the nuclear deal, a multilateral agreement made to ease sanctions on Iran in exchange for the country halting its nuclear weapons program.