Images and videos taken from urban areas reveal that the IRGC Ground Force has started to dispatch artillery and tanks to the northwestern border regions a few days before the deadline for the KRG’s action to disarm anti-Iran terrorist separatist groups stationed in northern Iraq.

Some sources argue that the military deployment is aimed at maintaining combat preparedness and ensuring the security of Iran’s northwestern boundaries.

They described the move as a collective punishment that exacerbates the sufferings of the people in the besieged territory.

Waddah Bseiso, the spokesman for the General Federation of Palestinian Industries, said at a press conference on Tuesday that the Israeli decision will have negative repercussions and greatly affect Gaza’s economy, particularly the industrial sector, Palestine’s official Wafa news agency reported.

The decision threatens the closure of hundreds of industrial facilities that heavily depend on export and will lead to laying off thousands of workers, he added, Press TV reported.

Bseiso further called on Israel to retract the decision, saying any actions that lead to the closing of the crossing are rejected by the industrial sector, which is to export standards and procedures.

Ayed Abu Ramadan, the head of the Union of Chamber of Commerce in the Gaza Strip and Secretary of the Coordination Council for Private Sector Institutions, also condemned the Israeli decision, stressing that the closure is an “unjustified escalation” in the 18-year-long Israeli blockade on the impoverished coastal territory.

He went on to say that the decision will leave adverse effects on Gaza’s economy as well as the livelihood of its people, adding that it will aggravate the already difficult economic situation there.

Ramadan also noted that the decision will negatively affect the industrial, agricultural and labor sectors, adding that it threatens to prevent many industrial and agricultural facilities from working, which will result in the loss of jobs for many workers, and increase the already high rates of unemployment and poverty in the besieged Gaza Strip.

He also denounced the closing of the crossing as “an unjust measure and collective punishment” for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, who are already suffering from exceptionally difficult conditions and will cause a real humanitarian catastrophe.

Ramadan further called for the urgent and immediate reopening of the crossing and lifting the sanctions that worsen the sufferings of the population and undermine opportunities for economic growth, peace and stability in the region.

On Monday, Israeli authorities ordered the closure of the crossing after an alleged attempt to smuggle explosives.

In a statement, Israeli military claimed that it had “detected several kilograms of high quality explosives, hidden within a clothing delivery carried by three trucks” at the Kerem Shalom crossing.

The halting of all “commercial deliveries from Gaza to Israel” is being carried out to allow “security adjustments to be made at the crossing”, the statement said.

“Deliveries will resume in accordance with subsequent situation assessments,” it added.

Palestinian border officials said they were told by Israel that the crossing would be closed “until further notice.”

Gaza has been under an Israeli land, air and sea blockade since June 2007. The crippling siege has caused a decline in the standard of living as well as unprecedented levels of unemployment and unrelenting poverty in the Gaza Strip.

In recent years, the Gaza Strip has been receiving its bare essentials through the Kerem Shalom crossing as well as two others, including one with Egypt, which is being strictly controlled by the government in Cairo.

Head of the AREPO, a subsidiary of the Iranian Agriculture Ministry Mojtaba Khayyam Nekouyi , said on Monday that food demand in Iran will reach 180 million metric tons (mt) in 2031 when the country’s population is expected to reach 103 million.

Khayyam Nekouyi said that Iran’s agriculture output is currently responsible for 80% of a total food demand of 156 million (mt) in a country of nearly 85 million people, Press TV reported.

The deputy minister of agriculture said Iran will be capable of responding to its rising food demand in the next seven years if it uses a proper management system for its water and land resources, otherwise, with the continued trend in reduction of water resources and the increasing (global) food supply problems, the country’s food security will be at risk, he emphasized.

He said that average annual precipitation in Iran had fallen from 250 millimeters to 220 millimeters, adding that dwindling water supplies and lack of management on resources could pose a major risk to Iran’s food security in the future.

However, he said Iran could increase its agricultural output to respond to its food demand and cut back on imports with more efficient farming and water management techniques.

“We have the potentials and facilities for production of basic commodities needed in the country,” said the official.

Iran has introduced measures in recent years to increase activity in its agriculture sector.

The policy has been aimed at guaranteeing food security in the country at a time it faces trade restrictions because of US sanctions.

In a meeting in Tehran on Monday, Amirabdollahian and Serbian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Orlic talked about the cooperation between Iran and Serbia, especially in the area of parliamentary diplomacy.

Iran’s top diplomat described the presence of the Serbian parliament chief and his accompanying delegation in Tehran as an important opportunity for promotion of cooperation between the two countries, the Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

Hailing the positive and growing trend in political, economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries, Amirabdollahian expressed hope that the exchange of delegations at high levels would continue and play a role in closer cooperation between the two sides.

He further noted that the insults in Sweden and Denmark to the Holy Quran have hurt the feelings of two billion Muslims across the world.

“We condemn insults to divine scriptures and believe that desecrations of the sanctities of Muslims and followers of divine religions should not be permitted under the pretext of freedom of expression,” the Iranian foreign minister added.

For his part, the Serbian parliament speaker appreciated the principled policy of Iran in supporting the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of his country.

He said his meetings with the Iranian president, parliament speaker and a number of ministers were fruitful, emphasizing the Serbian government and parliament’s determination to bolster relations with Iran in all spheres.

Orlic said parliamentary cooperation between the two countries were positive, adding, “Due to the importance of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Iran in the Parliament of Serbia is considered one of the most crowded friendship groups.”

The Iranian Navy and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy took delivery of the “Abu Mahdi” strategic cruise missile in a ceremony attended by senior military officials on Tuesday.

With a range of over 1,000 kilometers, the missile would expand Iran’s naval defense coverage zone by several times and allow the naval units to broaden their operational range.

In comments at the event, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said a main feature of the new missile is keeping the enemy away from the Iranian coasts.

“We can fire the Abu Mahdi missile from deep inside the country. The missile has a dual seeker and performs successfully against the enemy’s electronic warfare,” the general said.

He explained that if an Iranian military vessel travels at a distance of 1,000 kilometers from the country’s coasts and launches the Abu Mahdi, the enemy’s aircraft carrier will have to retreat at least 1,000 kilometers farther away to evade the long-range cruise missile, so the fighter jets on board the aircraft carrier will be rendered useless.

The general noted that the new missile can be fired either from a vessel or a coastal launch pad, hunt multiple targets, and hit the target from various directions.

“Since the missile has a very low service ceiling and a very long range, it could be hardly tracked,” Rear Admiral Tangsiri noted.

He expressed hope that the missile, named after late Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis who was martyred at the hands of the “criminal US”, would conduct retaliatory attacks on the enemies at sea.

In a telephone conversation with his Kuwaiti counterpart Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday, Amirabdollahian condemned the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and Denmark.

The two senior diplomats underlined the need for the Muslim countries to adopt a decisive stance to condemn and prevent such acts.

Amirabdollahian further appreciated Kuwait’s condemnation of the insult to the Quran in the two European countries and called for an emergency meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to send a strong message and condemn the defiling of Islamic sanctities.

The top Iranian diplomat also pointed to good ties between Iran and Kuwait, saying, “We believe that in light of regional cooperation, we can have peace, stability and progress in the region without the presence of foreigners.”

The Kuwaiti foreign minister, for his part, welcomed Amirabdollahian’s proposal to hold an emergency meeting of the OIC, saying the Kuwaiti government strongly condemns any insult to the Holy Quran and Islamic sanctities.

The two sides then exchanged views on the issues of mutual interest.

In a meeting with Speaker of Serbia’s Parliament Vladimir Orlic, held in Tehran on Sunday, Raisi called for the promotion of relations between Iran and Serbia, especially in the economic and commercial fields.

He also emphasized the need to identify the capacities of the two countries and determine mechanisms for the development of relations in the joint commission of Iran and Serbia.

Highlighting Iran’s support for peace and stability in the Balkans, Raisi stated that Tehran does not see any obstacles in improving the level of relations with the countries of this region.

“The hegemons regulate relations with other governments only by looking at their own interests, and the leaders of countries must be vigilant in preventing their destructive influence,” the Iranian president warned.

Referring to the disgraceful failure of the sanctions against Iran, he said, “Not only wasn’t the Iranian nation deterred by the sanctions and pressure, but it has created many opportunities for growth and progress from these threats, especially in various fields of technology, which can help deepen cooperation with different countries.”

For his part, Orlic conveyed the warm greetings of the president of his country, presented a report on the latest developments in the Balkans, and thanked Iran for its support for the establishment of peace and stability in this region.

Voicing his country’s interest in developing and increasing the level of trade relations with Iran, the speaker of the Serbian parliament stated, “We are not only ready to increase the level of cooperation, but we are also working to achieve this goal, and holding a joint commission between the two countries will definitely be effective in strengthening and expanding relations, especially in the economic field.”

The Intelligence Ministry announced on Monday that members of the “extensive terrorist-Zionist network” have been arrested and 43 bombs have been seized from them.

The ministry said the main ringleaders reside in Denmark and the Netherlands.

According to the report, the arrested terrorists were going to carry out several acts of sabotage in Iran ahead of the lunar month of Muharram, including an explosion at the tomb of late Iranian commander Lt. General Qassem Soleimani in Kerman.

The main stage of the war game, codenamed Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Velayat 11 (Devotees of Velayat Airspace 11), kicked off in the central province of Isfahan on Sunday night.

The spokesman for the drills said the Sukhoi Su-24 and F-4 Phantom fighter-bombers carried out nocturnal operations and detonated the hypothetical enemy’s ground targets with Qased upgraded standoff missiles.

General Alireza Roodbari said the Air Force units also utilized a range of laser-guided and thermal missiles to hit the aerial targets in various altitudes and fired diverse homegrown rockets and bombs.

The Iranian military drones also conducted major operations in the war game, the spokesperson added, noting that various combat, reconnaissance and electronic warfare UAVs, such as Kaman-12, Karrar, Mohajer-6, and Arash could destroy targets using different modified bombs with pinpoint accuracy.

The manned and unmanned military aircraft could conduct jamming operations with advanced electronic warfare techniques to paralyze the hypothetical enemy’s air defense systems, the general added.

More than 90 military aircraft have taken part in the exercise, including various fighter jets, interceptor aircraft, bombers, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

“The main axis of the war game is (ensuring) sustainable security, promoting and strengthening regional relations, good neighborliness and defending the country’s air borders,” Air Force Commander Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi said on Sunday.

Iran’s Armed Forces hold routine military exercises throughout the year.

Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.