Exclusive: Iran charts active plans for fighting “Trump’s economic war”

 

Tehran is deep in hectic discussions on ways to fight crippling US sanctions – whether by terror or fast-tracked nuclear development, DEBKAfile’s exclusive military and intelligence sources reveal.

Iran navy launches stealth warship in the Gulf

Note: Video available at the source.

 

DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran’s navy on Saturday launched a domestically made destroyer, which state media said has radar-evading stealth properties, as tensions rise with arch-enemy, the United States.

In a ceremony carried live on state television, the Sahand destroyer — which can sustain voyages lasting five months without resupply — joined Iran’s regular navy at a base in Bandar Abbas on the Gulf.

Iran, China Conduct Joint Naval Drills

Last summer, when the Syrian conflict was near its peak under the Obama administration, China unexpectedly warned it was ready to enter the proxy war when in a stunning announcement, Xinhua reported that Beijing was prepared to side with Syria and Russia, against the US-led alliance, and that Xi and Assad had agreed that the Chinese military will have closer ties with Syria and provide humanitarian aid to the civil war torn nation.

A high-ranking People’s Liberation Army officer also said that the training of Syrian personnel by Chinese instructors has also been discussed: the Director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of China’s Central Military Commission, Guan Youfei, arrived in Damascus on Tuesday for talks with Syrian Defense Minister Fahad Jassim al-Freij, Xinhua added. Guan said China had consistently played a positive role in pushing for a political resolution in Syria. “China and Syria’s militaries have a traditionally friendly relationship, and China’s military is willing to keep strengthening exchanges and cooperation with Syria’s military,” Xinhua quoted Guan.

Iran gains Mediterranean bases in Italy and Syria

 

As part of Iran’s drive to rule the strategic waves of regional waters, Tehran has negotiated a naval exchange deal with Rome for its warships to be berthed in Italian ports, debkafile’s military sources reveal.

In this context, the US Pentagon and Navy chiefs once again urged Israel to update and enlarge its war fleet, which they said was “full of holes” to catch up with the rapidly changing conditions opposite its shores, where Russia, Iran and Egypt are building up armadas of warships that are bigger and more advanced than ever before.

Iran shipping incidents in Strait of Hormuz are only latest belligerent acts since nuclear talks began

Earlier this week, Iranian forces seized a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship, the Maersk Tigris, while it was traversing the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian forces boarded the ship after firing warning shots across its bridge and diverted it to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. Iranian officials have not explained why the ship was seized.

Chinese destroyer docks in Iran, first such visit

Adm. Hossein Azad, naval base chief in the southern port of Bandar Abbas, said the four-day visit that began Saturday saw the two navies sharing expertise in the field of marine rescue.

“On the last day of their visit while leaving Iran, the Chinese warships will stage a joint drill in line with mutual collaboration, and exchange of marine and technical information particularly in the field of aid and rescue,” said Azad.

Iran admiral says if there’s war, U.S. aircraft carriers in Persian Gulf will be a target

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran will target American aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf should a war between the two countries ever break out, the naval chief of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard warned Tuesday as the country completes work on a large-scale mock-up of a U.S. carrier.

The remarks by Adm. Ali Fadavi, who heads the hard-line Guard’s naval forces, were a marked contrast to moderate President Hassan Rouhani’s recent outreach policies toward the West — a reminder of the competing viewpoints that exist at the highest levels within the Islamic Republic.

Iran planning to target decoy U.S. aircraft carrier in drills

An Iranian newspaper is reporting that the country’s military plans to target a mock-up American aircraft carrier during upcoming war games.

The Sunday report by independent Haft-e Sobh daily quotes Adm. Ali Fadavi, navy chief of the powerful Revolutionary Guards as saying Iranian forces should “target the carrier in the trainings, after it is completed.”

Iran will continue sending naval fleets to Russia: Commander

Deputy Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Gholam-Reza Khadem Bigham says Iran will continue dispatching more naval fleets to Russia.

Khadem on Saturday pointed to the recent dispatch of an Iranian naval fleet to the Russian port city of Astrakhan and said, “We should expect the continuation of the process and the sending of other naval groups.”

Iran sends 2 warships to Sudan 5 days after air strike on its weapons factory in Khartoum

The Teheran regime said two Iranian Navy vessels docked in Sudan on Oct. 29 as part of cooperation with the Arab League state. The vessels were identified as a corvette named Shahid Naqdi and the Kharq frigate.

…

The report came five days after a reported air strike on a major weapons factory in Khartoum operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

…

Irna said the two Iranian Navy vessels left Iran in September and sailed through the Red Sea. The agency did not elaborate.

“The commanders of the Iranian flotilla met with Sudanese navy
commanders during the berthing ceremony,” Irna said. “The flotilla had left the Bandar Abbas 1st Maritime Zone for the free and international waters in September to conduct the mission.”

Sudan has also accused the United States of complicity in the purported Israeli attack. On Oct. 29, the Sudanese daily Al Intiba said CIA director David Petraeus denied any U.S. role in the air strike on Yarmouk. The newspaper said Petraeus also appealed to Khartoum to protect American citizens.

Full article: Iran sends 2 warships to Sudan 5 days after air strike on its weapons factory in Khartoum (World Tribune)