Iran Restructuring Its Naval Forces

Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Photo from the L.A. Times

From Washington Post:

Iran has reorganized its naval forces to give operational control of the strategic Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz to the naval component of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the paramilitary organization that is playing an increasingly central role not only in Iran's military but also its political and economic life.

Politically favored over Iran's traditional navy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, or IRGCN as it is known, "has capitalized on this status to acquire advanced weaponry and better platforms to develop additional capabilities," according to the study by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence titled "Iran's Naval Forces: From Guerilla [sic] Warfare to a Modern Naval Strategy," Fall 2009.

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My Comment: It appears that they are positioning themselves for a fight.

Iran Reveals Its War Strategy -- Iran Says Gulf Oil Route At Risk if Attacked

From The New York Times/Reuters:

TEHRAN (Reuters) - The Revolutionary Guards said Iran would impose controls on shipping in the vital Gulf oil route if Iran was attacked and warned regional states of reprisals if they took part, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

Fear of an escalation in the standoff between the West and Iran, the world's fourth largest oil producer, have been one factor propping up sky-high oil prices. Crude hit a record level on international markets near $143 a barrel on Friday.

Speculation about a possible attack on Iran because of its disputed nuclear ambitions has risen since a report this month said Israel had practiced such a strike, prompting increasingly tough talk of retaliation, if pushed, from Tehran.

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My Comment: The Iranians said the same thing in the 1980's. When they started to implement their strategy they got into a shooting war with the U.S. Navy. Most of their ships got sunk in the exchange. I guess the Iranians now want to start round #2.