New Delhi, Feb. 16 -- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) initiated a sequence of military drills in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to state media, just ahead of scheduled negotiations with the United States.

These war games, for which no specific timeframe was provided, are intended to ready the IRGC for "potential security and military threats" within the channel, state television reported, following the arrival of a substantial US naval presence in the region.

Hardline Iranian officials have frequently threatened to block the strait, a vital maritime corridor that accounts for roughly 20% of global oil shipments.

Monitored by IRGC commander General Mohammad Pakpour, the drills are designed to enhance the Guard...