Iran's Air Force will stage massive week-long drills to start Saturday, a national news agency quoted a senior commander as saying on Tuesday.

Air Force Lieutenant Commander for Operations Mohammad Alavi told FNA that the exercises, code named Fada'eyan-e Harreem-e Vellayat (Devotees to the Sanctity of Religious Leadership), will be held July 31 through August 7.

He said 43 warplanes, including F-4, F-5, F-7 and Sukhoi Su-24 fighters, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will take part in the exercises.

He said a variety of air-to-surface missiles and other weapons would be test-fired during the drills.

Alavi stressed that the drills "are aimed at demonstrating the power of the Iranian Air Force and boosting the combat power of different Air Force units."

MOSCOW, July 27 (RIA Novosti)