MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) will conduct a three-day-long exercise over the weekend, IRGC Ground Forces Chief Brigadier Gen. Mohammad Pakpour said on Wednesday, Iran’s Press TV reported.

"The Great Prophet 8" military drill will start in eastern Iran on Saturday, he said, adding that it will include the cities of Kerman, Siriz and Sirjan.

The drill is aimed at testing the IRGC’s new arms and equipment and maintaining its combat readiness.

Last July the IRGC held a three-day missile drill dubbed "The Great Prophet 7" in the central Iranian province of Semnan.

In January 2012, the IRGC Ground Forces held the "Shohaday-e Vahdat" ("Martyrs of Unity") military drill in the eastern province of Khorasan Razavi, Press TV said.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, assembled in April of 1979 using the militarized units of Islamic revolutionary committees, supporters of the Iranian Shiite leader Ayatollah Khomeini, report to Iran's supreme leader.