Additional Coverage:
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gets powerful ships to confront adversaries well beyond the Persian Gulf (businessinsider.com)
Iran has recently enhanced the capabilities of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) by commissioning new ships equipped with advanced weaponry and increased range, such as the Shahid Hassan Bagheri observed at a maritime parade in April.
In an assertive push to expand its naval capabilities, the IRGCN has added hundreds of new vessels over the past three years, including high-powered missile corvettes and converted a container ship into a drone and special forces base. These additions mark a significant evolution from their typical small, fast attack crafts, signaling a strategic shift to operate more broadly on the high seas.
This fleet expansion includes four catamaran corvettes armed with missiles, enhancing Iran’s ability to engage powerful naval and air forces from countries like Saudi Arabia and the United States. The introduction of these ships also assists the IRGCN in embracing a new role assigned by Tehran—to project power globally, a task previously reserved for the national navy.
The fleet’s new missile corvettes, the Shahid Soleimani-class, are notable for their heavy armaments, including 28 missiles and multiple guns, and represent the IRGCN’s move towards larger, more capable combat ships. The Shahid Soleimani, Shahid Hassan Bagheri, and Shahid Sayyad Shirazi are three such ships already active, with a fourth under construction.
Additionally, the IRGCN has utilized container ships like the Shahid Mahdavi, equipped for multi-role missions such as launching ballistic missiles and serving as a mobile sea base. Comparable to the U.S. Navy’s expeditionary mobile bases, these ships allow for versatile operations far from Iran’s traditional waters.
The IRGCN’s strategic expansion enables it not only to protect national maritime routes but also to support Iran’s broader geopolitical objectives across the region, from supplying allies to showcasing military prowess on international waters. These developments underscore Iran’s ambition to assert its influence well beyond its shores, presenting a new level of capability and intent in the strategic landscape of the Middle East and beyond.