DATE: Monday, May 12, 1997                  TAG: 9705120059

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A12  EDITION: FINAL 

DATELINE: TEHRAN                            LENGTH:   22 lines

WAR GAMES HELD IN GULF TO TEST AGAINST ATTACKS

About 4,000 troops staged mock air and naval battles in the Persian Gulf on Sunday to test Iran's defense against a surprise attack.

The war games began a day after the United States warned that it would take action against Iran if it carried out a threat to close the Strait of Hormuz on the southeastern end of the gulf.

Such an action, which Iran said it would take if it felt threatened by the United States, would block the exit for oil tankers that carry one-fifth of the world's oil supply from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.

Iran considers some 20 U.S. warships that regularly patrol the gulf as a potential threat ever since reports last year that the United States was considering missile strikes against Iran if it was proven that Tehran was behind a bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. servicemen. Iran has denied involvement.

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