Iran holds drills with Russia
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Trump Warns of 'Bad Things' if Iran Doesn't Make a Deal
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Iran has threatened to retaliate, including by striking U.S. bases, if Washington launches an attack on the country.
US warns Iran to reach a deal or face strikes as Tehran and Moscow announce joint naval exercises in the Sea of Oman.
Feb 18 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in an interview made public on Wednesday, said that any new U.S. strike on Iran would have serious consequences and called for restraint to find a solution to enable Iran to pursue a peaceful nuclear programme.
Iran on Thursday held military drills with Russia amid escalating tensions with the United States, after President Trump gave the Middle Eastern country a 10-day timeline for the U.S. and Iran to strike a deal over the latter’s nuclear program.
The Iranian naval drill and the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier near the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea underscore the tensions between the nations.
Russia has a strategic partnership treaty with Iran, although it does not include a mutual defence clause. A Russian naval corvette conducted manoeuvres with the Iranian navy in the Gulf of Oman this week, according to Russia's Defence Ministry.
The Iranian and Russian navies have been conducting joint drills in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean as the United States issued new threats against Tehran.
Satellite images analysed by Sky News' Data and Forensics team show Iran has fortified its nuclear and defence facilities, alongside conducting live drills with Russian forces amid rising tensions with the US military.