Iran Bolsters Naval Power In Persian Gulf

International News

Written by Samuel Sokol

Thursday, 12 August 2010 11:41

The Islamic Republic of Iran has greatly strengthened its naval power in the Persian Gulf this week with the addition of ten missile-launching speedboats and four locally produced submarines to its fleet. The Ghadir class submarines are reported to be stealth vehicles capable of launching missiles and torpedoes simultaneously.

Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi stated, â€œIn addition to rapid transfer of forces and detection of the enemyâ€™s surface and subsurface vessels, these submarines can identify military targets and carry special forces, while they also enjoy rapid swamp power and have sonar-evading capability.â€

The ten speedboats, which belong to the Zolfaqar, Tareq, Ashoura, and Zolijana classes, were launched in a high-profile Revolutionary Guards Corps ceremony on Sunday that was attended by ICGC Navy Commander Admiral Ali Fadavi. Fadavi stated that the increased projection of Iranian power in the Gulf was meant to bolster Iranian deterrence.

According to the Fars news agency, which maintains ties with the Revolutionary Guard, â€œthe Islamic Republic has mass-produced a large number of speedboats with rocket-launchers and other sophisticated military equipment which are able to strike a heavy blow on any foreign warship if the country comes under attack.â€

The IRGC has indicated that it is ready to use its naval power to intercept vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and that the strait would be sealed in the event of U.S. military actionâ€”in effect, a threat to cut off global oil exports passing through local shipping lanes. The IRGC now maintains exclusive control over this strategic sector, possibly owing to its greater loyalty to the Islamic regime. Fars cited General Rahim Savafi, military advisor to Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as stating that â€œany hostile target and all warships passing through the Persian Gulf are within the reach of the IRGCâ€™s missiles.â€

In addition to the new naval capabilities, the Iranian air force announced on Sunday that the country is adding new radar and air defense systems.

â€œNew air defense weapons, radar, and data-gathering systems are under production and will be handed to the air defense units soon,â€ a senior air force commander told Fars. This comes on the heels of an Iranian announcement in April that the newly developed Mersad air defense system that is â€œready for delivery to the Air Defense Base is a mid-range defense system capable of destroying advanced airplanes in low and mid altitudes.â€

A report on Israelâ€™s Channel 2 indicated that despite Iranian claims to the contrary, Iran did recently obtain the highly advanced S-300 air-defense missile system from Belarus.

On August 1, the United States announced that it has developed a plan for a military strike on Iran. â€œThe military options have been on the table and remain on the table,â€ Chief of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen said on Meet the Press. â€œItâ€™s one of the options that the president has. â€¦ I hope we donâ€™t get to that, but itâ€™s an important option and itâ€™s one thatâ€™s well understood.â€ At the same time, Iran is worried over the possibility of an Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities.

Referring to American estimates that place the development of an Iranian nuclear device at between one and three years away, an anonymous Israeli policymaker told the Atlantic that â€œif we assume that nothing changes in these estimates, this means that we will have to begin thinking about our next step beginning at the turn of the year.â€

However, some Israeli experts dismiss claims of an imminent IAF attack on Iranian targets. Writing on his personal blog, Barry Rubin, the director of the Global Research in International Affairs Center at the IDC in Herzliyya, indicated, â€œIt is too early to consider such an option in strategic terms. As long as Iran has not completed its effort to obtain nuclear weapons, the less there is to be gained by destroying uncompleted facilities or processes that are not yet at their full capacity. The earlier one attacks, the easier it is for the Iranian regime to rebuild.â€

â€œThe idea that something must or will be done immediately is a fiction among those who really donâ€™t know much about the situation but perhaps have a thirst for action,â€ Rubin wrote.

Despite this, Rubin did not state that Israel will not attack Iran in the long runâ€”a threat that, together with decreasing American patience, has pushed the Islamic Republic into bolstering its defensive capabilities.