Ali Heidari, head of the Political Studies Center of the IRGC, wrote that the Sahand 2025 joint anti-terrorism exercise, currently underway in Iran’s East Azarbaijan province, is more than a military drill. Conducted shortly after Iran’s decisive defense in the 12-day war, the exercise sends multi-layered strategic messages across political, security, and economic arenas for the region and the world.
The main phase of the operation lasts three days, with live ammunition used throughout. This drill represents the first field exercise of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) hosted in Iran, elevating the country from a new member to a central strategic partner within the alliance.
The IRGC Ground Forces, acting as the main executor and host, are responsible for designing and implementing the operation, highlighting their role as the "architect of counter-terrorism." Advanced technologies, including suicide micro air vehicles (MAVs), were also unveiled.
Ten SCO member states—Belarus, Iran, India, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—participate, alongside guest countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Azerbaijan, reflecting the wide convergence around this event.
East Azarbaijan province was strategically chosen, intersecting three vital corridors: the North-South international corridor, energy transfer routes from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf, and connectivity to the Caucasus and Central Asia. Holding the exercise here demonstrates Iran’s readiness to secure critical economic and civilizational routes against terrorism.
Taking place shortly after Iran’s success in the 12-day war, the timing underscores Tehran’s military readiness in the evolving regional context. Beyond military dimensions, Sahand 2025 aims to present an independent Eastern definition of terrorism, rejecting Western distinctions between “good” and “bad” terrorist groups, and emphasizing Iran’s practical counter-terrorism experience.
The drill also promises broader impacts: it strengthens security trust between Iran and SCO partners, paves the way for larger economic agreements, accelerates projects such as the North-South Corridor, showcases Iran’s defense technology, and highlights Eastern geopolitical cohesion beyond Western influence.
Sahand 2025 marks a turning point in Iran’s defense and security diplomacy. Beyond a joint drill, it asserts Iran’s central role in a powerful Eastern coalition, readiness to ensure regional security, and the formation of an independent security discourse based on shared interests, establishing Tehran as an active player in the emerging security order in the East.