Iran suddenly announced the deployment of warships to the Atlantic Ocean
Iran's navy representative said the country will deploy warships to the Atlantic Ocean from March 2019 to increase the range of naval operations to the US backyard.
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| Iranian Navy patrol boat. Source: breitbart.com |
According to Reuters, Iran will deploy warships to the Atlantic Ocean, near US territorial waters, to protest the presence of a US aircraft carrier in the Gulf, which Iran says creates security concerns for Tehran.
Deputy Commander Hassani said a flotilla will set sail for the Atlantic Ocean at the beginning of the Iranian new year, starting in March 2019.
Iran's IRNA news agency quoted Mr. Hassani as saying that because the Atlantic Ocean is quite far away, the mission of the Iranian warships could last up to 5 months.
Mr. Hassani said the new domestically built destroyer Sahand, launched on December 1, 2018, will be one of the warships deployed.
The ship is radar-evading, has a helicopter flight deck, is equipped with anti-aircraft and anti-ship guns, surface-to-surface missiles and surface-to-air missiles. In addition, the Sahand can launch torpedoes and engage in electronic warfare.
In December 2018, Rear Admiral Hassani said Iran would soon deploy two to three warships to Venezuela.
In recent years, the Iranian Navy has expanded its range of operations, deploying warships in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships against Somali pirates./.
