ALWAGHT- The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy is not merely a coastal force but has the capability to operate in international waters, according to a commander of the IRGC Navy's fifth Martyr Lieutenant General Haj Qassem Soleimani fleet.
"After the United States imposed sanctions on the IRGC Navy, we needed to demonstrate that the IRGC Navy is not just a coastal force but also capable of deploying various types of heavy vessels, allowing it to operate in international waters," Colonel Soleimani said on Monday.
He highlighted that the naval fleet, led by the domestically-built Shahid Mahdavi oceangoing warship as its flagship, commenced its mission from Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf, where the US had previously killed an IRGC commander.
"This sent important messages to the US," he stressed.
During the mission, Soleimani noted that the Shahid Mahdavi warship navigated through significant and strategic straits around the world, including the Strait of Malaga.
The commander stated that the Iranian flotilla crossed the Equator, entered the US Navy's 7th Fleet zone, and, for the first time, approached Diego Garcia Island—home to one of the most important US bases in the Indian Ocean—before returning home after a successful 39-day voyage.
"We conveyed to the Americans that we can reach the closest point to you," Soleimani affirmed.
The Iranian commander emphasized the “entirely professional” nature of the mission, stating, “We did not aim to provoke any tensions.”
This statement comes amid rising regional tensions and the US deployment of a guided missile submarine to West Asia. Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin has also announced that an aircraft carrier would be sent to the region "more quickly."
In May, the fifth Martyr Lieutenant General Haj Qassem Soleimani fleet of the IRGC Navy returned from a 39-day mission, having crossed the Equator and ventured into the Southern Hemisphere.
The Shahid Mahdavi, a 2,100-ton multipurpose vessel designed for long-range missions, is 240 meters long and 27 meters wide. It joined the IRGC Navy's fleet in March 2023.
The oceangoing warship is equipped with advanced technology, including three-dimensional phased array radar, sea-to-sea and sea-to-air missiles, and sophisticated telecommunication systems for electronic warfare. It can also carry various types of attack helicopters, combat drones, and fast attack craft.
