Iran has begun to unveil its own warships, submarines, and anti-ship missiles that it has developed over many years with Chinese, Russian, and North Korean technology. The activity is causing serious concern among international observers that Iran now could block the Strait of Hormuz, preventing oil tankers from passing in and out of the Persian Gulf.
In September, Iran equipped its navy with the indigenously produced Qader (“Mighty”) anti-ship cruise missile. In late November, it deployed three new submarines, bringing the total number in its fleet to 14.
An expansion of Iran’s range of operations has accompanied the naval buildup. In February, two Iranian warships passed through the Suez Canal en route to Syria. It was the first time Iranian ships had passed through the canal since the 1979 revolution.
By July, Iran announced that it was expanding its naval presence into international waters, even going so far as to send warships into the Atlantic Ocean. In November, an armed Iranian ship was spotted 160 miles west of the southern Indian city of Kochi.
There would seem to be plenty of reason for worry about Iran’s naval capabilities. But our intelligence experts at LIGNET.com offer a deeper analysis that points to Iran’s real motivation and the extent of the security risk posed to the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquartered in Bahrain.
To read the full analysis at LIGNET.com click HERE.
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