"We must be ready to dare all for our country. For history does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. We must acquire proficiency in defense and display stamina in purpose." - President Eisenhower, First Inaugural Address
Some 19 Navy personnel have been martyred with some 15 others injured in an accident happened to an Iranian vessel in the course of drills in southern Iran, the Navy said in a statement on Monday. The statement said that those injured are in satisfactory conditions. Rescue and relief operations began soon after the incident and the injured persons were evacuated and sent to medical centers, the statement said. The accident happened to the "Konarak" vessel during a military drill in the waters of Jask Port in southern Iran. Expert investigations are underway about the cause of the incident, the statement said, asking everyone to avoid raising speculations.
Some units of the "Hendijan-class" vessels like Konarak have been up-armed to carry Iranian "Noor" missiles, a homemade version of the Chinese C-802 anti-ship missile.
Accidents happen, and the loss of life of these Iranian sailors is regrettable.
The US forces deployed in the Persian Gulf are afraid of the presence
of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps in the same waters, a senior commander said, adding that the IRGC enjoys full intelligence supremacy and might in the region. "The IRGC's might and power has grown to the extent that the Americans are terrified when they come across our vessels and this powerful presence exists in the sea, sky, space and land," Commander of the IRGC Navy's Third Zone Brigadier General Mansour Ravankar told FNA on Wednesday. Noting that the IRGC Navy uses all its defensive capacities, vessels and quick-reaction forces to defend the country, he underlined the IRGC's full intelligence superiority in the region. "The IRGC Navy is present in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz region with full power," General Ravankar said. In relevant remarks in March, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi underlined Iran's deterrence power, and said 100 IRGC vessels are always deployed in the Persian Gulf to confront any threats. "100 IRGC vessels are present in the Persian Gulf round the clock everyday and the Americans see our vessels everywhere they look," Fadavi said, addressing a gathering in the Central province of Isfahan. He said the US has come to the conclusion that any action against the Islamic Revolution will be rather harmful than serving its interests, "therefore, they don’t dare to take any action and this shows the Islamic Revolution's deterrence power which is increasing everyday".
Not sure "terrified" is exactly the right word, but so it goes.
Meanwhile, there is the obligatory report of the Iranian Navy chasing pirates (which no other country is reporting seeing) from attacks on Iranian shipping:
Alborz (AP photo)
Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced that the country's 40th flotilla of warships has repelled pirates' attack on an Iranian ship in free waters after fierce clashes. "On Saturday, 7 pirate boats attacked an Iranian ship but they received the crushing response of the 40th fleet of warships," Sayyari said on Monday. The Iranian Navy's 40th fleet of warships left Bandar Abbas port, in Southern Hormuzgan province, for the international waters on April 2 to protect the country's cargo ships and oil tankers against pirate attacks. The Navy's 40th fleet, comprising Tonb logistic warship and Alborz destroyer, is tasked with conducting anti-piracy patrols in the high seas and the Gulf of Aden.
Yawn. The names change, the baloney does not.
By the way, Alborz recently celebrated its 45th anniversary since its 1971 commissioning. Congrats, old timer!
As for Tonb, here's a video of it joining the Iranian fleet in 2015:
