Iran could reportedly be bracing for an Israeli attack, with reports emerging that it has begun military drills to focus on "enemy movements". The drills are being held earlier than planned, according to state media.
The development comes amid reports that Israel could strike Iran's nuclear sites within days.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that a “friendly” regional country warned Tehran of a potential Israeli attack. Soon after, Iran's IRGC chief Major General Hossein Salami made a war cry, stating Iran was fully prepared to confront any military threat.
"The enemy sometimes threatens us with military action. We have always said—and repeat now—that we are fully prepared for any scenario, under any circumstances," Major General Salami said during a ceremony in Tehran on Thursday.
Iran is also reportedly dragging on the nuclear deal talks with the US to modify nuclear facilities to diminish the impact of a potential military strike on those sites, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post. Earlier, European officials warned the US that Iran is dragging out the talks in an attempt to create a rift between Europe and the US over the snapback mechanism.
Iran had also been preparing post the 2015 nuclear deal to develop the bomb. Analysts say that Iran is now on the brink of being able to manufacture enough nuclear material to fuel 10 nuclear weapons. It has also restored its air defences, which were damaged during last year's Israeli attacks.
Some analysts warn that Iran has been restoring those defences, making Israeli action against Iran’s nuclear program riskier by the week. It is also unclear whether Israel can inflict decisive damage on Iran’s nuclear program without U.S. military assistance.
Satellite images show Iran has repositioned several of its surface-to-air missile launchers, including S-300 systems, near key nuclear sites such as Natanz and Fordow, according to Financial Times. Tehran, which believes its air defences underperformed last year, has repositioned and diversified launchers and radars.