Iran's Revolutionary Guards navy conducted a drill in the vital Strait of Hormuz on Monday, 16 February to test the readiness of its naval units to protect the waterway, Tasnim news agency reported. ⁣ ⁣ The exercise, overseen by IRGC Ground Forces Commander General Mohammad Pakpour, occurred a day before renewed Iran - US nuclear talks. The Strait is a crucial international oil export route.⁣ ⁣ Tasnim stated the drill's goal was to utilize Iran's geopolitical advantage in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait, which handles a fifth of global oil flows, in retaliation for any attack.⁣ ⁣ Also on Monday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with the U.N. nuclear watchdog chief in Geneva before talks with the U.S., stating that he sought a "fair and equitable deal," but "submission before threats" was "not on the table."⁣ ⁣ #iran #us #nuclearweapons #hormuz #israel #trump