Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Unveils Vessels Armed With 600 Kilometer Range Missiles (Photos)

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy had unveiled new vessels armed with 600 kilometer range anti-ship missiles, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported on August 1.

The new vessels were unveiled during a naval exercise off the coast of Abu Musa, Naze’at, the Greater Tunb and the Lesser Tunb islands, which are controlled by Iran but disputed by the United Arab Emirates.

The purpose of the exercise, named after late Iranian General Eshaq Dara, is to “display the IRGC naval might as well as combat and defense preparedness in protecting the Persian Gulf security and the Iranian islands,” the IRGC said in a statement.

Tasnim gave no details about the new vessels and anti-ship missiles but cited a commander on the need to defend the islands.

“The islands of the [Arabian] Gulf are part of Iran’s honor and we will defend them,” Revolutionary Guards’ Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri said, adding that Gulf security needed to be provided by regional countries.

“The [Arabian] Gulf belongs to all of the region’s countries … These states must be very prudent and prevent themselves from falling into the conspiracies and divisive plans of extra-regional countries,” he added.

During the exercise, the IRGC also showcased Fateh precision-guided ballistic missiles and Qader anti-ship missiles which are deployed on the three disputed islands.

The Iranian naval exercise comes amid rising tensions with the United States in the Persian Gulf. Last month, the Pentagon deployed F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, along with several warships and additional marines to the Middle East, in order to deter Iran who seized two tankers in the gulf earlier this year.

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