Tensions with Iran: Tehran's navy poses a threat to the US.

Although the Iranian fleet is outdated, it possesses many fast attack craft capable of group tactics, making it very dangerous for the large warships of the US Navy.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran and called for new sanctions against Tehran. This could lead to unpredictable developments in the Middle East, particularly regarding oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, where the Iranian Navy maintains a presence.

Small but dangerous

According to National Interest magazine, the Iranian Navy is one of the smallest but most "aggressive" forces in the Persian Gulf region. Recently, the Iranian Navy has frequently carried out "harassment" operations against US warships operating in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian Navy is currently relatively small compared to some countries in the region. However, it remains a formidable force with its domestically produced warships, coastal defense missiles, and agile missile attack vessels. The Persian Gulf, home to the world's most important shipping lanes, passes through its contiguous zone. In the event of an unforeseen incident, Iran could use this force to blockade this vital global shipping route.

The Iranian navy possesses hundreds of fast attack missile boats built using a "swarm" tactic to create numerical superiority in countering sophisticated American weapons and technology. These high-speed missile boats, combined with coastal defense systems with a range of hundreds of kilometers, will enable Iran to control the Persian Gulf, particularly the Strait of Hormuz.

Fast attack missile boats are one of Iran's most dangerous weapons. Photo: Scout.

The history of the Iranian armed forces focuses primarily on land power, followed by air power. The navy is a third priority. In the 1970s, the Royal Iranian Navy had only four destroyers equipped with Sea Killer and Seacat anti-ship missiles. These warships were supported by 25 patrol boats, six minesweepers, and two landing ships.

Following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the Royal Iranian Navy was renamed the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN). The new government openly pursued an anti-Washington policy, leading to the failure of previous naval modernization plans.

During the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988, the fighting was primarily on land and in the air, but the navies of both countries demonstrated their dangerous capabilities by attacking oil tankers at sea. The US Navy launched an intervention campaign that led to a confrontation with the Iranian Navy.

Iran laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz, severely damaging the US destroyer USS Samuel B. Roberts. President Ronald Reagan ordered the US Navy to conduct a punitive strike against the Iranian Navy in the region. Operation Praying Mantis inflicted heavy losses on the Iranian Navy, with five warships sunk and three others severely damaged.

Step up domestic warship construction.

For decades, Iran has struggled with Western sanctions over its controversial missile and nuclear programs. Despite considerable external pressure, Tehran has invested heavily in its defense industry, particularly shipbuilding.

In the 2000s, Iran began building new Moudge-class missile frigates, with a displacement of 1,500 tons. Two ships have been commissioned out of a planned seven. Iran is also building the Khalije Fars-class destroyer, with a displacement of 7,500 tons. These warships are all equipped with long-range anti-ship missiles manufactured in China.

The Qader coastal defense system conducts a test firing during a training exercise. Photo: YPA.

Over the past 10 years, Iran has been accelerating the "missileization" of its warships with Chinese-made C-704 and C-802 long-range anti-ship weapons, some of which are Iranian-produced versions based on imported missiles.

Iran also possesses Kilo-class attack submarines manufactured by Russia, one of the world's most formidable underwater killers. Iran is also building its own mini-submarines to create a large underwater attack fleet.

Iran has a long coastline along the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, making its coastal defense systems a dangerous weapon against warships. Iran possesses numerous coastal defense systems using C-802 anti-ship missiles, or domestically produced Ghadir and Qader missiles with ranges of 120 and 200 km respectively, allowing it to control the entire Strait of Hormuz.

Besides the Iranian Navy, the Iranian armed forces also have another naval force: the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This force operates separately from the IRIN, a rare organizational structure in the world. The IRGC is responsible for protecting Iran and controlling activities in the western part of the Strait of Hormuz. The IRIN is responsible for the area east of the strait and in the more distant seas.

The IRGC focuses primarily on "swarm" tactics, with its main weapon being fast attack missile boats for close-range attacks. The IRIN, on the other hand, invests in large warships for long-range defense missions. Iran's maintenance of two navies simultaneously, while overlapping in management, creates a diverse and complex attack capability.

Kyle Mizokami, a foreign policy analyst, commented that this force, while a small threat, is very powerful to any naval force that intends to obstruct it.

Iran conducts drills simulating sinking a US aircraft carrier.Dozens of Iranian Navy high-speed patrol boats conducted exercises simulating an attack on a US aircraft carrier.

According to Zing.vn