Iran, Russia, China and Syria are planning to hold the largest war games exercise in the Middle East in less than a month, Iran’s Fars media reported Tuesday.

Citing “informed sources,” the report said that 90,000 soldiers from the four countries are to take part.

The massive war games drill will include air defense and missile units as well as ground, air and naval forces. It is scheduled for early July.

A total of 400 planes and 1,000 tanks are said to be taking part, among them “12 Chinese warships… Russian atomic submarines and warships, aircraft carriers and mine-clearing destroyers as well as Iranian battleships and submarines.”

All of the above are to arrive shortly in Syria, according to the report.

Russia has angered the United States by continuing to arm Syria despite the Syrian government’s violent suppression of a popular uprising in recent months. Some have alleged that Moscow is attempting to keep Assad in power in order to avoid revealing Russian war crimes. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 06/19/12)