By Staff, Agencies As many as 60,000 members of the Iranian Basij volunteer force are taking part in large-scale two-day drills, codenamed 'Towards al-Quds', in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. The exercises, which began on Thursday morning at various operational sites across the province, would continue until Friday evening.

During the first stage of the exercises, tactical and passive defense exercises were conducted, along with rescue operations under unprecedented conditions.

The second day of the extensive drills commenced on Friday morning, with Chief Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards [IRG] Major General Hossein Salami, several high-ranking IRG commanders, and provincial officials in attendance.

Some 250 battalions from the Basij forces were participating in the drills.

The objectives of the drills align with the guidelines of Leader of the Islamic Revolution and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, to maintain and enhance the military capabilities of Iranian forces.

The drills aim to improve the Basij forces’ preparedness and combat ability for potential real-world scenarios.

During the 'Towards al-Quds' exercises, Basij battalions conducted military parades, and various IRG military and defense hardware, including armored vehicles and combat drones, were showcased.

The drills are held annually in different parts of Iran to bolster the Basij forces’ strength and readiness to counter potential threats against the country