After the attacks in the city of Kerman, Raisi thundered against Israel and the United States for "having created the Caliphate", promising that the “Al Aqsa Flood” operation will necessarily lead to the destruction of the Zionist state. Iran, therefore, implements its military actions both at sea and on land, through its affiliated militias spread throughout the Middle East.
by Andrea Pinto
Yesterday, during a ceremony in the port city of Bandar Abbas, in southern Iran, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salamis, issued a clear and lapidary warning to enemies inside and outside the country: “We are facing an all-out battle against the enemy, we will reach him everywhere“. Salami did not explicitly mention any nations or names of foreign rulers, but the “enemy” in this case appears to refer to the 22-nation coalition led by the United States, committed to protecting commercial traffic in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks, through the operation Prosperity Guardian.
Italy has sent one of its Navy frigates, the Virginio Fasan, to the Red Sea area which will operate, writes the Defense, in response to a specific request for the protection of national interests, received from Italian shipowners as part of an operation already existing and authorized by Parliament and not of the operation Prosperity Guardian.
Returning to General Salami, yesterday he warned the enemy as follows: “We must defend our national interests wherever they extend (also in the Red Sea ed.)". During the ceremony, the Revolutionary Guards Navy presented the new warship “Abu Mahdi” equipped with 100 missile launchers. The ship, whose name is a tribute to Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis died together with the general Qassem Soleimani, is the result of 15 months of joint work by three state-owned companies. Iranian specialists in the sector are ready to build three more boats with the same characteristics in less than a year.
The ship "Abu Mahdi” is part of Tehran's broader strategy to become a globally competitive naval power. Equipped with 100 missile launchers, the ship has an autonomy of 14 days and can navigate within a radius of 2000 nautical miles. With four domestically produced propulsion systems, she can face force six and carry out full missions even in force five seas thanks to her hull design. The ship has similar characteristics to the Shahid Soleimani, commissioned in 2022, but is significantly larger than the small Iranian attack craft.
This development is a demonstration of how Tehran is reviewing its deterrence policy, aiming to become a major naval power. The presentation of the "Abu Mahdi" ship fits into this context, representing a significant step towards the realization of this strategic objective.
In reference to the attack in the city of Kerman on the fourth anniversary of the death of General Soleimani, Iranian intelligence announced the day before yesterday the arrest of 12 alleged terrorists in six provinces. Initial rumors reveal that one of the two suicide bombers was of Tajik nationality while the identity of the second bomber has not yet been definitively determined. The operation, underlines Iranian intelligence, “will certainly continue until the arrest of the last person who has been involved in supporting criminals in any way and to any extent”.
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