Iran leader calls for boosting of naval forces
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called 28 November for the country to boost its naval forces as a deterrent against its enemies and hailed the deployment of new ships.
‘Increase your capabilities and readiness as much as you can so that the enemies of Iran will not dare threaten this great nation,’ Khamenei said in a meeting with Iran’s naval chiefs, quoted on his official website.
The Islamic republic was confronted by ‘a vast lineup of enemies and rivals’, he said.
Khamenei, quoted in English on his Twitter account, stressed that Iran ‘has no intention of launching a war against anyone’.
But the country ‘should increase our aptitudes so that enemies will fear attacking Iran and threats against Iranian nation will perish’.
He welcomed the commissioning this week of a destroyer and two submarines, all three manufactured in Iran, as signs of ‘ever increasing progress’.
Defence Minister Amir Hatami, quoted by the official news agency IRNA, said two Ghadir-class submarines are to enter service on 29 November and a new destroyer two days later.
Iran considers itself the historic guardian of the Gulf and regularly condemns the US deployment of naval and air forces in the strategic waterway.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Naval primes dive into an underwater acquisition gold rush]()
Naval primes dive into an underwater acquisition gold rush
A cluster of acquisitions by Fincantieri, Thales, Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall points to a race to secure underwater warfare, autonomy and sensing capability.
-
![Baltic naval priorities shift towards mine warfare and versatile platforms]()
Baltic naval priorities shift towards mine warfare and versatile platforms
Baltic states are investing in mine warfare, uncrewed systems and multirole platforms as major warship purchases remain scarce, industry sources indicate.
-
![India’s mine countermeasure drive triggers rush of new partnerships]()
India’s mine countermeasure drive triggers rush of new partnerships
Parallel procurement pathways for crewed mine countermeasure vessels and uncrewed systems underline a shift towards next-generation mine warfare for the Indian Navy.
-
![Finland’s naval sector eyes growth opportunities in NATO era]()
Finland’s naval sector eyes growth opportunities in NATO era
Finland’s naval industrial base is expanding as NATO membership, Baltic Sea security concerns and proximity to Russia push shipbuilders and equipment makers to capture new roles.
-
![Force renewal in the Royal Canadian Navy opens long-term opportunities for suppliers]()
Force renewal in the Royal Canadian Navy opens long-term opportunities for suppliers
Canada's ambitious naval modernisation plans are creating major maritime procurement opportunities, with future programmes also promising long-term work for domestic and international shipbuilders.
-
![The unanswered design question at the heart of India’s P75I submarine programme]()
The unanswered design question at the heart of India’s P75I submarine programme
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems is edging toward an India submarine deal, but an unverified claim of a radically new hull design – at odds with the proven lineage it has marketed to Canada – has yet to be resolved.
