Iranian army troops conclude their march in a military parade marking the 35th anniversary of Iraq’s 1980 invasion of Iran, in front of the shrine of late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, just outside Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015.

Iran’s army conducted exercises Tuesday close to its border with Afghanistan designed to simulate how it would respond if “terrorist groups” such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) organization mounted an attack.

The operation in the northeastern province of Khorasan came a day after a military commander said ISIS would be “neutralized” if it breached a 40 kilometer zone approaching Iran’s borders.

Tanks, helicopters and planes took part in Tuesday’s manoeuvres, the ISNA news agency reported.

The exercise followed ISIS attacks that killed 129 people in Paris last week.

“One aim of the exercise was to practice methods and means to confront the possible actions of terrorist groups at the borders,” said General Amir Reza Azarban, an army commander in the province.

Iran, the major Shiite power in the Middle East, is heavily involved in conflicts in Syria and Iraq against ISIS, primarily Sunni Muslims who denounce Shiites as apostates.

Neutralized

On Monday, General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, the army’s head of ground forces, announced the 40 kilometer limit on the borders with Iraq and Afghanistan, which if breached would trigger action.

“We have strongly warned that if any action is taken (by ISIS), it will face a decisive response from Iranian armed forces and we will do the same in Afghanistan,” Pourdastan said.

“Before the enemy reaches borders, its actions will be neutralized.”

His comments came after Iraq’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said intelligence sources showed Iran was among countries ISIS planned to attack.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, which is independent of the army, has advisory missions in Iraq and Syria at the invitation of the Baghdad and Damascus governments.

Pourdastan’s statement came just weeks before Iranian pilgrims prepare to travel to Iraq for the annual Arbaeen commemorations, which have been targeted by militants in past years.

Almost one million Iranians have signed up online to attend this year’s 70-kilometre religious walk between Najaf and Karbala on December 2, marking the death of Imam Hussein.

Related articles across the web

• Jaafari arrives in New York to attend the 70th session of General Assembly of UN
• IRAQ - FRANCE - For Baghdad patriarch, citizenship and religious education can bring peace to the Middle East
• General Petraeus apologizes 'to American people' for affair and sharing official secrets with his mistress
• Al-Jaafari: signs of change in International stance on Syria were due to Syrian army achievements
• Blast rocks mosque in Yemen's Sanaa during Eid prayers
• Iraq calls on Turkey to coordinate strikes on PKK
• Iraq Backs Turkey's PKK War, But Wants Coordination
• Supreme Leader Revives Feared Intelligence Unit Of Iran's IRGC
• Is Iran's Supreme Leader Also The Country's Richest Person?
• Iranian Leaders Continue to Use Enemies Abroad to Rally Nation