With Tensions Rising In The Red Sea Iran Deploys A Warship To The Region

 

 FOX News: Iranian warship enters Red Sea amid Houthis’ ongoing attacks on commercial vessels  

The Alvand class destroyer had been a part of the Iranian navy's 34th fleet 

Iran's Alborz warship has reportedly entered the Red Sea, emerging at a time of heightened tensions in the key shipping route amid ongoing attacks on vessels in response to the Israel-Hamas war. 

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Monday that the vessel had entered the Red Sea through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, though it was unclear precisely when. 

Tasnim did not give details of the Alborz's mission but said Iranian warships had been operating in open waters to secure shipping routes, combat piracy, and carry out other tasks since 2009.

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WNU Editor: Oil prices are still stable .... Oil prices fall as traders monitor rising tensions in Red Sea (CNBC). 

With Tensions Rising In The Red Sea Iran Deploys A Warship To The Region 

Iran deploys destroyer to Red Sea -- MEHR News Agency (Iran) 

Iranian warship enters Red Sea as tensions soar -- DW  

Iran has sent a warship into tense waters where the US Navy has been shooting down Houthi threats and destroying their boats -- Business Insider  

Iran moves warship to Red Sea after US destroys Houthi boats -- The Hill  

Iranian warship enters Red Sea as tensions rise -- Politico.eu 

Iran dispatches warship to Red Sea after U.S. sinks Houthi small boats -- UPI

Iran Deploys Warship to Red Sea Amid Rising Tensions -- OilPrice.com  

Iran deploys warship to Red Sea amid soaring tensions -- Al Jazeera

Iran Unveils Nearly 100 Missile-Launching Boats And Naval Supply Ships

BREAKING- IRAN reveals world’s first Air Defence Small Boat equipped with Nawab Short-range SAM System#IRAN #IRGC #missile #boat pic.twitter.com/eRfCrLfpsi

— EurAsian Times (@THEEURASIATIMES) March 10, 2023

EurAsian Times: Iran Unveils World’s First ‘Air Defense Boat’ Capable Of Firing Deadly Missiles From Its Vertical Launch System – Analyst 

Iran’s second navy, under the IRGC, has developed the world’s first very small air-defense boat amid rising concerns about Tehran’s burgeoning military power that is seen as a threat by countries in the Persian Gulf and Israel. 

The development of a small defense boat is unique in its own right. 

This is the first-of-its-kind vessel Iran has likely produced for domestic use by the Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, according to a report by Naval Analyst and OSINT expert HI Sutton. 

Subsequently, a video surfaced on social media in which a Nawab surface-to-air missile is released from the Vertical Launch System of the boat. According to military observers, this air defense boat was modified and converted from the British Bladerunner. This is due to the hull’s shape, which resembles the Bladerunner.  

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Iran Unveils Nearly 100 Missile-Launching Boats And Naval Supply Ships  

Iran's IRGC rolls out new missiles, naval supply ships -- Jerusalem Post  

Iran unveils warship, missile launchers amid regional tensions -- Al-Monitor

IRGC adds new warship, 100 missile-launching boats to Navy fleet -- Press TV  

Advanced warship delivered to IRGC Navy -- Tehran Times

Two Iranian Navy Ships Have Entered The English Channel

🇮🇷Iran's largest warship, IRINS Makran and IRINS Sahand currently in the English Channel - (likely with RN escort in attendance). Believed heading to St Petersburg, 🇷🇺Russia

via @CovertShores pic.twitter.com/IcGDkgjULx

— Navy Lookout (@NavyLookout) July 19, 2021

Warzone/The Drive: Iranian Navy Ships Enter The English Channel 

The sea base ship Makran and Iran’s most advanced frigate are supposedly headed for the Baltic Sea. 

 In a surprising turn of events, a pair of warships from the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, or IRIN have broken out of the Atlantic and headed into the English Channel, where they were noted today. The final destination of the two vessels, the “sea base ship” Makran and the frigate Sahand, Iran’s most modern warship, is unclear, but their passage would conform with previous reports that they are headed to the Russian port of St. Petersburg for the naval parade that takes place there later this month. 

Satellite photographs first indicated that the Iranian warships were headed toward the English Channel before their presence in these waters was confirmed by data on MarineTraffic, an aggregator that provides real-time transponder information on ship movements. 

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Update: Two Iranian Warships Spotted Near English Channel (USNI News)  

WNU Editor: A Russian radio program that I listen to said yesterday that these two Iranian warships are heading to the Baltic Sea (i.e. St. Petersburg, Russia). Judging by the path that these ships are taking, it looks like that is the case. But what I am wondering about is that the IRINS Makran (Iran's largest warship) appears to be carrying a heavy load. So what is their cargo?

Image: Flickr.  

National Interest: Iran's Underwater Advantage is Staggering 

Iran's navy has highly unorthodox prioritization, but that does not mean it is weak.  

Key Point: Perhaps the most striking aspect of Iran’s submarine roster is its sheer size, especially in relation to the rest of its navy. 

Tensions continue to mount between Washington and Iran, with every week bringing forth a new round of diplomatic threats and accusations. 

Back in 2019, Revolutionary Guards commander Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami gave a blistering speech in which he assured the Iranian parliament that the “vulnerability” of American aircraft carriers will prevent the U.S. military from challenging Iranian power in the Persian Gulf. Such rhetoric is par for the course for Iranian officials and state media, who project unwavering confidence in Iranian military capabilities. 

But just how capable is Iran’s conventional military, and do they really have the means to effectively resist a U.S. offensive? 

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WNU Editor: Iran currently fields a whopping 34 submarines. In a place like the Persian Gulf, they will be a formidible force.

Iran's Largest Warship Mysteriously Catches Fire And Sinks In The Gulf Of Oman

 

Daily Mail: Moment one of Iranian navy's largest ship SINKS in the Gulf of Oman after fire breaks out 

* Fire broke out on support vessel Kharg, one of Iran's largest ships, on Tuesday 

* All 400 crew were evacuated as firefighters attempted to put out the blaze * But they could not save the ship, which sank 20 hours later near the port of Jask 

* Comes after series of attacks on ships that Iran and Israel blame on one-another 

One of Iran's largest naval vessels has today caught fire and sunk in the Gulf of Oman. The Kharg, a 650ft cargo vessel designed to resupply ships at sea, caught fire Tuesday after a fault 'in one of its systems' during a training exercise. 

All 400 crew and students on board the vessel - built in Britain in 1977 - were evacuated with only minor injuries, the Iranian military said, before firefighters tried to tackle the blaze. 

But they were unable to save the ship which sank Wednesday morning near the port of Jask 'after 20 hours of dedicated efforts to save it', Iranian officials said. 

It is not yet clear how the fire started, but it comes amid attacks on cargo ships and military vessels in recent months that Iran and Israel have blamed on one-another - worsening already fraught relations between the old adversaries.  

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WNU Editor: Early reports are saying that this started as an electrical fire. But there has been a number of attacks targeting Iranian cargo ships in the past year. You have to wonder if this is one of them?

More News On The Sinking Of The Iranian WArship The Kharg 

Iranian logistic vessel catches fire, sinks in Gulf of Oman -- Tehran Times 

Iran naval ship sinks off Jask Port -- MEHR News Agency (Iran) 

Iran’s largest warship catches fire, sinks in Gulf of Oman -- AP  

One of Iran's biggest navy ships sinks after catching fire -- CNN  

Kharg fire: Large Iranian navy ship sinks in Gulf after blaze -- BBC

Iran: Large navy vessel sinks after catching fire in Gulf of Oman -- DW  

Iranian navy's largest warship, the Kharg, catches fire and sinks in Gulf of Oman -- ABC News (Australia) Iranian Warship Sinks in Gulf of Oman -- VOA

Iran's largest warship catches fire, sinks in Gulf of Oman -- FOX News  

Iran's Largest Navy Ship Sinks In The Gulf Of Oman After Catching Fire -- NPR  

Fire on One of Iranian Navy’s Largest Ships Before it Sank in Gulf of Oman Caught on Video -- Sputnik  

Iranian Navy’s largest vessel catches fire & sinks in Gulf of Oman (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) -- RT  

Iran's Largest Warship Mysteriously Catches Fire And Sinks In Gulf Of Oman -- Zero Hedge

Satellite Image Shows 100 New Naval Vessels For The IRGC Navy

99 boats, minisubs and flying boats were on static display. The XLUUV was also shown. H I Sutton (Includes material © CNES 2020 / PLEIADES satellite imagery | Acquired through ShadowBreak Intl)

Forbes: Satellite Image Shows 100 New Naval Vessels In Iran

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Navy (IRGC-N) announced that it had received 112 new fast attack boats on May 28. Using satellite images, and poring over photographs of a parade that unveiled them, I have been counting and identify what they got.

The first observation is that there were possibly only 100 vessels on display. At least there were only 99 on the parade ground, plus one more in the water (the XLUUV, see below).

The craft included 9 missile boats. These were made up of four Kashdom Chinese-designed ‘C-14’ catamarans and one North Korean-derived ‘Zolfa qhar,’ plus four of a new type. The new model is very similar to the Zolfaqhar but smaller in every respect. All of these types carry light anti-ship missiles and are much smaller than the equivalent boats in other countries. This emphasizes swarm tactics and action against civilian targets such as tankers.

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WNU Editor:  That is a lot of new fast attack boats.

Iran Warns U.S. To Watch Out For New Missile-Launching Speed Boats 'Beside You' In The Gulf

TEHRAN, May 28 (MNA) – The naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) have received more than 100 missile-launching speed boats in the southern waters.

Bloomberg: Iran Warns U.S. on Naval Activity in the Gulf

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unveiled scores of new and upgraded defensive speedboats with a warning to the U.S. that it won’t shy away from challenging American naval power.

“Today we announce that wherever the Americans are, we’re right there beside you, and in the near future you will sense us even more,” IRGC Navy Commander Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said on the sidelines of a ceremony in the Persian Gulf, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported Thursday.

While battling sanctions and a major coronavirus outbreak, Iran appears determined to keep striking a defiant tone as tensions with the U.S. simmer. A month ago, President Donald Trump ordered the navy to destroy any Iranian vessels harassing U.S. ships, after accusations that the IRGC’s craft dangerously approached American military vessels in what U.S. Central Command said were international waters.

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Update: Over 100 domestically-built speed boats join Iran’s IRGC fleet (MEHR News Agency)

WNU Editor: Iran is saying that these new Speed-boats will add to the security of the region .... Iran to tighten Persian Gulf security belt: General Hatami (MEHR News Agency).

Images Are Released On What's Left Of The Iranian Navy ship After It Was Struck By A Missile In Friendly Fire Tragedy

Undisclosed

Warzone/The Drive: Here's All That's Left Of Iranian Navy Ship Struck By Missile In Friendly Fire Tragedy (Updated)

The naval support ship was laying targets for a training exercise when an anti-ship missile fired from an Iranian frigate slammed into it.

Details still remain limited at this time, but what we know is that an Iranian live-fire naval training event went horribly wrong in the Gulf of Oman when one of the country's own naval vessels was struck by an anti-ship cruise missile on Sunday. The mistake has killed at least 19 Iranian sailors and wounded 15 more. A support ship named Konarak was placing targets for other ships to use for the exercise when the missile, a C-802 Noor, made a direct hit on the vessel.

Images show the vessel's entire upper structure obliterated by the inadvertent strike.

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WNU Editor: Shooting down a passenger jet in January. Blowing up your own naval warship this weekend. The Iranian military definitely does not look competent.

Iranian Warship Hit By Missile In Friendly Fire Accident, Killing 19 Sailors And Wounding 15 (Updated)

Daily Mail: Iranian navy accidentally shoot one of their own warships with a missile during training exercise, killing 19 and leaving 15 injured

* Iranian frigate Jamaran accidentally opened fire on support ship during training
* Noor cruise missile struck the Konarak, killing 19 sailors and leaving 15 injured
* Konarak had been positioning targets for the Janaran to fire at but remained too close to one of them and was accidentally targeted, state-run media said
* Comes after Iran accidentally shot down a passenger plane over Tehran this year

An Iranian warship has accidentally opened fire on one of its own support vessels during a training exercise in the Gulf of Oman, killing 19 and leaving 15 injured.

The Jamaran, a frigate, had been attempting to hit a target with one of its Noor cruise missiles when it accidentally struck a support ship named Konarak instead.

The Konarak had been placing targets for the Janaran to hit but remained too close to one of them causing the missile to lock on to it by mistake, state-run media said.

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More News On An Iranian Warship Hit By A Missile In A Friendly Fire Accident

Iran says 19 of its sailors killed in training accident -- AP
Iranian warship hit by missile in training accident, killing 19 sailors -- Reuters
Iranian navy says 19 sailors killed in ‘friendly fire’ incident -- France 24
Iran navy 'friendly fire' incident kills 19 sailors in Gulf of Oman -- BBC
Iran naval accident is said to kill at least 19 during exercise -- New York Times
Iran says 19 dead in Gulf of Oman friendly fire incident -- The Guardian
Iran warship accidentally 'hit by missile' during military drill -- DW
Iranian Navy vessel hit by friendly fire, killing at least 19 and injuring 15 -- ABC News Online
Iran naval exercise accident kills 19 sailors -- CNN
Iranian missile fired during training exercise hits support ship, killing 19 sailors -- FOX News
19 dead, 15 injured in Iranian naval incident -- UPI
Sailors killed after Iran missile 'accidentally' strikes own ship -- Al Jazeera
Iranian warship hit during military exercise, 19 killed -- The Hill
Incident during drills: At least 19 killed, 15 injured on Iranian ship near Strait of Hormuz -- RT
VIDEO shows damaged Iranian naval ship involved in training incident that left 19 dead & 15 injured -- RT

Iran Says It Wants Nuclear Submarines

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attends the inauguration ceremony of a new cruise missile-armed, semi-heavy Fateh-class submarine at Bandar Abbas naval base, February 17, 2019. Despite a decade-old arms embargo, the Islamic Republic has managed to continue to develop its surface and underwater fleet. HOSSEIN ESMAILI/ARMED FORCES OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

Newsweek: Iran Says It Wants Nuclear Submarines to Power Up Fleet After Confrontation with U.S. Navy

The head of Iran's navy has called for the development of nuclear-powered submarines to better protect the country after a close encounter off its coast with the U.S. Navy.

Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said Thursday his forces were considering building a nuclear-powered submarine and that the Iranian Defense Ministry already had the capability to manufacture an underwater vessel larger than the cruise missile-armed, semi-heavy Fateh-class submarine unveiled last year. While Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has forbidden by Islamic law the production of nuclear bombs, Khanzadi said nuclear propulsion—a technology Iran had yet to demonstrate—would be necessary to defend and deter against potential adversaries like the United States.

"When there is no deterrence and no readiness for defense, peace will not be stabilized and that is why the armed forces of nations exist, to keep this peace stable," Khanzaid said, according to the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency.

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WNU Editor: Only a few countries have the capability to build a nuclear powered submarine. Iran does not strike me as one of those countries who can pull it off.

Iran's Navy To Hold War Games In Strait of Hormuz

Al Jazeera: Iran holds naval war games in Strait of Hormuz amid US tensions

Week-long exercises in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman will include Iran's first submarine-launched missiles.

The Iranian navy launched "large-scale" drills in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman in a show of its maritime force amid escalating tensions with the United States in the region.

Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, commander of Iran's navy, said the manoeuvres began on Thursday and will run for a week. For the first time, the exercises will feature missiles launched from a submarine.

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More News On The Iranian Navy Holding War Games In Strait of Hormuz

Iran to Hold Massive Naval Drill in Persian Gulf, Oman Sea -- Tasnim News Agency
Iran announces another navy drill in key Strait of Hormuz -- Times of Israel/AP
Iran announces 3-day navy drill from Gulf to Indian Ocean -- France 24
Iran launches large-scale maritime war games in the Persian Gulf -- Jerusalem Post
Iran’s naval maneuvers to start Friday -- Navy Times

Iran Says It Will Send Warships To The Atlantic This Year

Iran’s new Sahand destroyer is seen alongside the country’s national flag in a photo shared last month by the Iranian navy. The advanced, domestically manufactured vessel was said to be fitted with a helicopter pad as well as missiles capable of targeting land, air and sea. Islamic Republic of Iran Navy

Tehran Times: Iran to send naval fleet to the Atlantic

“Since the Atlantic Ocean is very far, it is likely that the Iranian naval fleet’s mission would take up to five months to complete,” Rear Admiral Hassani-Moqadam said in an interview with IRNA.

He said Sahand destroyer would be one of the naval fleet’s warships.

Sahand, a newly-built destroyer, has a flight deck for helicopters, torpedo launchers, anti-aircraft and anti-ship guns, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, and electronic warfare capabilities.

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More News On Iran Saying That It Will Send Warships To The Atlantic This Year

Iran to send warships to the Atlantic, closer to U.S. waters -- Reuters
Iran says its warships are coming to the Atlantic for the 1st time -- CBS
Iran Military Will Send Ships Near U.S. Waters to ‘Wave the Flag,’ Just as Navy Did in Gulf -- Newsweek
Iran says it will send warships into the Atlantic Ocean, challenging the US by pushing closer to American waters -- Business Insider
No, Iran Isn't About To Send A Stealth Destroyer To Venezuela Or Off The Coast Of The U.S. -- Warzone/The Drive
Iranian warships in US’ backyard? Tehran to deploy navy to western Atlantic – commander -- RT

Iran Boasts That Its New Speedboats Will Have Stealth Abilities

Iranian boats take part in naval war games in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, off southern Iran, April 22, 2010.

Press TV: IRGC speedboats to become radar-evading with new missiles: Top commander

The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy says new speedboats operated by the IRGC will be radar-evading and equipped with new missiles.

Rear admiral Alireza Tangsiri made the remarks in an interview with IRNA on Monday, noting that the IRGC’s Navy attaches great importance to high speed and maneuverability in its missions.

“We are planning to equip the IRGC’s speedboats with radar-evading stealth technology while increasing their speed in order to conduct their missions,” the Iranian commander said, adding that “new missiles moving at very high speed are being installed on the IRGC’s naval vessels.”

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More News On Iran Boasting That Its New Speedboats Will Have Stealth Abilities

Iran's Revolutionary Guards plan to upgrade speed boats with stealth technology -- Reuters
Iran Decks Out Elite Naval Forces With Stealth, Missile Systems -- Bloomberg
Iran to Equip Its Speed Boats With Missiles and Stealth Technology - Report -- Sputnik

Iran Boasts That It Has A Stealth Warship

DW: Iran launches 'radar-evading' warship

Iran has unveiled its latest domestically developed warship, which state media claims has stealth properties. Tehran has developed a large domestic arms industry in the face of international sanctions.

Iran's navy unveiled its latest warship in the port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, amid rising tensions over the recent reimposition of US sanctions.

The Sahand destroyer joined the rest of the fleet at the mouth of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, in a ceremony carried live on state television.

The domestically produced vessel, which has a flight deck for helicopters, can evade radar detection and sustain voyages lasting five months without resupply.

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Update: Iran navy launches stealth warship in the Gulf (Reuters)

WNU Editor: A "stealth warship"? I am vert skeptical.

Iran Says It Has Full Control Of The Persian Gulf

IRIN naval ships in Velayat-90 Naval Exercise. Wikipedi

Reuters: Iran says it has full control of Gulf and U.S. navy does not belong there

Iran has full control of the Gulf, and the U.S. Navy does not belong there, the head of the navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, General Alireza Tangsiri, said on Monday, according to the Tasnim news agency.

The remarks come at a time when Tehran has suggested that it could take military action in the Gulf to block oil exports of other regional countries in retaliation for U.S. sanctions intended to halt its oil sales. Washington maintains a fleet in the Gulf which protects oil shipping routes.

Tangsiri said Iran had full control of both the Gulf itself and the Strait of Hormuz that leads into it. Closing off the strait would be the most direct way of blocking shipping.

"We can ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and there is no need for the presence of aliens like the U.S. and the countries whose home is not in here," he said in the quote, which appeared in English translation on Tasnim.

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WNU Editor: A lot of Arab states, the U.S., and other ountries have a different point of view.

Iran To Send WarshipsTo The Gulf of Mexico

Iran’s new naval chief, Rear Adm. Hossein Khanzadi. Photo: TNA.

Tasnim: Iran to Send Naval Forces to Gulf of Mexico: Commander

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – New commander of the Iranian Navy unveiled plans for dispatching military watercraft to Latin America, saying Iranian naval forces will soon sail into the Gulf of Mexico.

Speaking in his first press conference after taking the office, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said Iran’s naval forces will soon go to the Atlantic Ocean, visit some South American countries, and wave the Iranian flag in the Gulf of Mexico.

Highlighting plans to develop military gear for operations in international waters, the commander said the Navy would unveil new vessels and submarines within the next year.

He also noted that the homegrown Separ (shield) missile-launching corvette will join the Caspian fleet next week, describing it as a symbol of the Iranian efforts for peace in the Caspian Sea.

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Update #1: New Cold War? Iran Sends Warships to Gulf of Mexico (Newsweek)
Update #2: Islamic Republic’s New Navy Commander Looks to ‘Fly Iranian Flag in the Gulf of Mexico’ (Algemeiner)

WNU Editor: The Iranians have been boasting that they are going to do this (send warships off the coast of the U.S.) for a long time .... Iran To Send A Naval Task Force Into The Western Atlantic (August 14, 2017).

Iran To Send A Naval Task Force Into The Western Atlantic

Iranian navy warship © Reuters / Reuters

Washington Free Beacon: Iran Sending Warships to Atlantic Ocean Amid Massive New Military Buildup

Iran boosts war spending by $500 million after U.S. issues sanctions.

Iran is preparing to send a flotilla of warships to the Atlantic Ocean following the announcement of a massive $500 million investment in war spending, according to Iranian leaders, who say the military moves are in response to recent efforts by the United States to impose a package of new economic sanctions on Tehran.

The military investment and buildup comes following weeks of tense interactions between Iran and the United States in regional waters, where Iranian military ships have carried out a series of dangerous maneuvers near U.S. vessels. The interactions have roiled U.S. military leaders and prompted tough talk from the Trump administration, which is currently examining potential ways to leave the landmark nuclear deal.

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More News On Reports That Iran Is Sendig A Naval Task Force Into The Western Atlantic

Iran Navy to Dispatch Forces to West Atlantic: Commander -- Tasnim News Agency
Iranian Navy Commander Says Tehran Plans to Send Ships to Atlantic -- Sputnik
Tehran to send fleet to West Atlantic, says Iranian rear admiral -- RT

Iran Wants A Submarine Fleet

Sebastien Roblin, National Interest: Iran Is Building Its Own Submarines (With Torpedoes the U.S. Navy Can't Match)

The Iranian military has long planned for a defensive naval war in the Persian Gulf, in which it would leverage its large fleet of fast attack boats toting antiship missiles to launch swarming hit-and-run attacks on adversaries in along Persian Gulf, with the ultimate goal of shutting down passage through the Straits of Hormuz.

Supporting this naval guerilla-warfare strategy are twenty-one indigenously produced Ghadir-class mini submarines, derived from the North Korean Yono class. The 120-ton vessels can poke around at eleven knots (thirteen miles per hour) and each carry two 533-millimeter torpedoes. All in all, shallow littoral waters are very favorable for mini-submarine operations, with interference from rocky shallows and loud surf reducing sonar detection ranges and giving mini submarines abundant opportunities to hide and wait in ambush. On the high end of the capability spectrum, Iran operates three much larger and more capable Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines purchased from Russia in the 1990s. These can comfortably hunt in the waters of the Indian Ocean.

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WNU Editor: If war/hostilities break out .... all that the Iranian Navy would need is one lucky torpedo strike.

Iran Test-Fires High Speed Torpedo

© AFP 2017/ EBRAHIM NOROOZI / Jamejamonline

Sputnik: Iran Test-Fires High Speed Torpedo Near Strait of Hormuz - Reports

Iran test-fired a high speed torpedo near the Strait of Hormuz, US media reported on Monday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The test took place near the strategic shipping route on Sunday, NBC News reported citing US defense officials.

Last week, Fox News reported citing Pentagon officials that an Iranian Yono-class submarine had attempted a missile launch on March 2 but the test failed.

Iran said in February that it had successfully test-fired a missile from a submarine.

During a presidential election debate on Friday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for writing "provocative" anti-Israel messages on ballistic missiles before testing them.

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WNU Editor: The NBC report that first posted this story is here .... Iran Test Fires High-Speed Torpedo Sunday (NBC). This Iranian test is on the heels of last week's failed cruise missile test .... Iran Failed In Launching A Cruise Missile From A Submarine (May 3, 2017).

Iran Failed In Launching A Cruise Missile From A Submarine

FOX News: Iran attempted missile launch from submarine, US officials say

Iran attempted to launch a cruise missile from a submarine in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday but the test failed, two U.S. officials told Fox News.

An Iranian Yono-class “midget” submarine conducted the missile launch. North Korea and Iran are the only two countries in the world that operate this type of submarine.

In February, Iran claimed to have successfully tested a submarine-launched missile. It was not immediately clear if Tuesday’s test was the first time Iran had attempted to launch a missile underwater from a submarine.

This incident comes on the heels of other recent provocations from Iran.

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WNU Editor: Apparently Iran used a Yono-class 'midget' sub for the test (see above photo). I am not an expert, but that is a small sub to use for launching a cruise missile.