Iran's Air Force will engage its all bases for massive week-long drills, which kick off on Saturday.

Mehrabad, Tabriz, Hamadan, Dezful, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Shiraz and Esfahan air bases will be among others involved in the exercises, code named Fada'eyan-e Harreem-e Vellayat (Devotees to the Sanctity of Religious Leadership).

Air Force Lieutenant Commander for Operations Mohammad Alavi said earlier that 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 31 (RIA Novosti)