Tehran, July 30 : Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have held a military exercise in five western provinces to assess its intelligence preparedness, the official news agency IRNA quoted a top Iranian commander as saying. In an address to reporters on Friday, IRGC Chief Commander Hossein Salami said the maneuver was held with the aim of improving the preparedness of the country's intelligence and security organisations and expanding the armed forces' capabilities in confronting the enemies' intelligence services, Xinhua news agency reported. He added that over the past four decades, extensive bids have been made by the world's "evil powers" to compromise Iran's security. In Friday's drill, real-life situations were simulated and the most advanced and modern intelligence equipment and techniques were used, he said. /IANS