Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday staged a war game simulating an air strike against the Islamic republic amid continued speculation of US military intervention to halt its nuclear drive.
The Revolutionary Guards land forces fought back the hypothetical air strike from enemy helicopters, planes and missiles with 620 anti-aircraft cannon and shoulder missiles, state television said.

The exercise came of the second of the three-day "Power Manoeuvre" exercises involving 3,000 units of the elite force in 16 of Iran's 30 provinces, the second war games staged by the Guards this month.

The war games had opened on Monday with a flurry of missile test-firing which the Guards' commanders said was aimed at strengthening the defensive capabilities of the force.

Although Washington has said it favours diplomacy to solve the standoff over Iran's nuclear drive, it has never ruled out military action the thwart the programme.

The United States accuses Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, a charge denied by Tehran which insists its atomic programme is solely aimed at generating energy.

Washington has also alleged that elements in Iran have smuggled sophisticated bombs into Iraq have killed at least 170 US and allied soldiers since June 2004. Tehran has rejected the allegations as "without foundation".

Meanwhile, a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf ordered by US President George W. Bush to the Gulf arrived in the Sea of Oman, the US Navy said, in a move seen by observers as new warning to the Islamic republic.