Iran's armed forces on Wednesday held large-scale military parades as part of Sacred Defense Week, and warned the United States to stay out of the Persian Gulf.

Sacred Defense week marks the 36th anniversary of the eight-year Iraqi war on Iran.

Iran's Press TV reported that the main parade, held on Wednesday in Tehran, featured military units from the army, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and the police force.

Addressing another event in Bandar Abbas, IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari advised the United States against wasting resources on boosting their "mischievous presence" in the Persian Gulf.

Jafari said the armed forces will be "the Iranian nation's iron fist in the face of enemies," adding, "this is our home, and we are highly sensitive vis-à-vis the enemies wandering around our home."

The senior commander slammed the United States for its "unprofessional conduct" in the region, saying the Americans' "unbalanced behavior and lack of intelligence command" come at considerable cost to the U.S and other states.

The Islamic Republic has proved to be qualified for controlling and protecting the security of this sensitive and strategic region, said Jafari, stressing that the Iranian Armed Forces are doing their best to boost their capabilities.

Among the military equipment showcased during the event was the S-300 missile defense system as well the domestically-built Emad ballistic missile.

Units of the army's ground forces also put on display a series of defense hardware, including a new generation of the Zolfaghar battle tanks, the Fajr rocket-launching vehicles and the Kia'an 120mm self-propelled guns.

Iran's southern waters near the port city of Bandar Abbas have also been the scene of another large-scale naval parade featuring 500 vessels, submarines, fighter jets and helicopters.

Head of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri delivered a speech at the event in place of President Hassan Rouhani, who is currently in New York at the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly.

In his address, Baqeri said the Sacred Defense Week is a reminder of the Iranian nation's bravery in the face of an enemy that failed to achieve its goals in a war that it waged 36 years ago with the backing of Western and Eastern powers.

Enemies masterminded the eight-year offensive against Iran to bring the country to its knees, but that turned into a "strategic opportunity" for the nation and the establishment to display their capabilities in defending their independence and the ideals of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"During the Sacred Defense, our soldiers learned how to stand on their own feet under sanctions," he said, adding that "the preparedness of Iran's Armed Forces is currently at a satisfactory level."