Iran's national army began exercises on Friday near its border with Azerbaijan, state TV reported, putting on a display of military capabilities near a neighbor it is increasingly skeptical of for its ties to the West and Israel.

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Artillery, drones and helicopters will participate in the drills, the report said, without elaborating on how long they would last or where exactly they would be held. Iran occasionally holds such events, saying it wants to assesses combat readiness and demonstrate capabilities.

The exercises come amid escalating tensions along the border. Iran is wary of Azerbaijan in particular for its deep military cooperation with the Islamic republic's archrival, Israel, and on Thursday voiced its concerns to Azerbaijani ambassador in Tehran Ali Alizadeh.

"We do not tolerate the presence and activity against our national security of the Zionist regime, or Israel, next to our borders," Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said. "And we will carry out any necessary action in this regard."

Amirabdollahian described relations between Iran and Azerbaijan as "important," but insisted Iran had the "right" to hold the exercises.

Earlier this week, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said he was stunned by the planned exercises, in an interview with Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency.

Azerbaijan and Israel have strengthened their military alliance in recent months, with Israeli-supplied high-tech drones helping Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region last year.

The tensions with Azerbaijan have also complicated a vital border passage that trucks use to ferry fuel and other goods from Iran to Armenia. Azerbaijani authorities have detained two Iranian truck drivers in recent weeks for trying to take the route, angering Iran.

Iranian ground forces chief Gen. Kioumars Heidari described the presence of Israel in Azerbaijan as "disrupting security" in the region, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported on Friday. "Our sensitivity toward the border has increased and [Israel's] activities here is under our surveillance completely," he said at the exercises.

The military drills come after Azerbaijan hosted joint military exercises in September with Turkish and Pakistani special forces for the first time.

The region remains on edge over Iran's escalating nuclear program. Talks in Vienna to revive Tehran's now-tattered 2015 accord with world powers have stalled since June, with no date set for their resumption.

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The weeklong "Ramses 2019" included joint naval and air maneuvers in the Mediterranean. An Egyptian military statement said French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, as well as F-16 Rafale fighter jets, participated in the drill, as did a number of Egyptian frigates and modern rocket launchers.

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The exercise "reflects the enhanced military partnership and cooperation between Cairo and Paris," the statement said.

Mamdouh Hamed, a military expert with the Sadat Military Academy, told local media that the exercise was "aimed at unifying the battling experiences and the exchange of training on the administration of the naval and air fighting among different forces.

"The joint military drill promotes the military cooperation based on new war techniques and the modern method of battling," Hamed said.

According to Arab media, the training included various drills, such as the protection of an important cargo ship, the exchange of helicopters on the roofs of naval units, joint navigation exercises, a simulation of various naval battle formations, artillery training, raids on hostile targets, fighting nontraditional threats, and inspecting suspected vessels.

"The training comes within the framework of the Armed Forces' plan to bolster military relations with different countries," the Egyptian military's statement said.

In March, the Egyptian and French navies conducted a joint military exercise in the Egyptian regional waters with the aim of boosting cooperation. The same month saw Paris and Cairo's air forces hold joint aerial drills.

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The statement came as Netanyahu was visiting a military exercise in the northern sector, where he was briefed by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi and spoke with soldiers and commanders who participated in the drill.

Following the visit, Netanyahu told reporters, "I'm concluding a visit to a major, cross-corps IDF exercise in several sectors. I was very impressed by the improvement in [combat] readiness, by the soldiers and commanders' fighting spirit, and mainly by the IDF's destructive power. Our enemies shouldn't test us."

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The Israeli Air Force concluded a four-day drill on Wednesday, simulating a multi-front war.

The exercise included fighter jets, attack and transport helicopters, drones and air defense systems, and also simulated a scenario in which the Israeli homefront is hit with thousands of rockets.

Last week, Netanyahu implicitly referred to foreign media reports attributing recent strikes on Iranian assets in Syria to Israel, saying, "We face constant tests and we respond with determination and force to any attack against us."

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