Iran’s navy ranks highly among the world’s top fleets and is actively expanding its capabilities with advanced submarines and warships – deployed to strategic locations – strengthening its influence in the Gulf region and the Indian Ocean.
As attention turns to how Iran might respond to the recent US strikes, a key question is the extent to which it can target US interests in Gulf waters. (From EuroNews.)
Despite the ongoing confrontation, Iran’s navy has so far played no visible role in the conflict with Israel.
This raises the question: is the regime in Tehran leveraging its naval fleet, and what capabilities does it actually possess?
While Iran is often seen as a primarily continental power, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman represent both its first and last lines of defence.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Tehran has worked to build a layered naval structure divided between the regular army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), combining larger warships and smaller attack boats, conventional submarines, and drones.
Though Iran’s navy is not capable of competing with the world’s major naval powers, it has developed a specialised force based on asymmetric warfare, indigenous technology, and strategic deployment, ensuring it remains a constant threat to any hostile move in the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Oman.
The regular force: Iranian fleet past and present
The Iranian Navy (IRIN) is the official branch responsible for operating the country’s regular naval fleet, including submarines and larger warships. It comprises over 18,500 personnel and more than 100 vessels, including ships and submarines.
Its operations span both the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea, focusing on protecting Iran’s territorial waters, securing vital shipping lanes, and deterring any violations of Iranian sovereignty.
According to Global Firepower’s 2024 report, Iran’s navy ranks 37th out of 145 naval forces worldwide. While this position does not place it among the global superpowers, it reflects the growth of Iran’s naval capabilities despite international sanctions and technological constraints.
The ranking suggests that Iran maintains a capable medium-sized naval force, strong enough to assert its presence within its regional sphere of influence.
The most prominent feature of the fleet is its considerable diversity, which includes:
- Modern destroyers such as Zulfiqar, Sahand, and Zagros, which are entering service one after the other, are designed to launch precision missiles and conduct intelligence missions.
- Alphand and Moj-class frigates – some UK-made and some Iranian-built – play a pivotal role in medium naval operations.
- Amphibious assault ships and corvettes are used for troop transportation and quick attacks.
Perhaps the most notable component of Iran’s fleet is its submarine force, which includes between 19 and 27 submarines.
Among them are three Tareq-class (Kilo-class) diesel-electric submarines, which have been employed in strategic operations such as mine-laying and launching cruise missiles.
Iran also has two Fateh-class submarines and a large number of Ghadir-class mini-submarines, which are manoeuvrable in shallow waters.
Submarines: The silent underwater weapon
Although Tehran does not currently possess any nuclear-powered submarines, it has been pursuing this goal for years.
In 2018, Iranian officials announced plans to build nuclear-powered submarines, but technology and international sanctions remain a barrier to realising this ambition.
Iran’s diving fleet does possess a collection of units with relatively advanced capability:
- The Tariq class: Russian-made submarines, each 74 metres long, capable of launching cruise missiles or laying mines. Despite their advanced age, they are still used for strategic missions.
- Fatih class: A locally-made submarine that entered service in 2019, equipped with torpedo and missile launch tubes and used mainly in coastal waters.
- Ghadir class: Very small submarines, numbering up to 23 units, used for special operations and surprise attacks.
- Nahang class: Only one submarine, intended for transporting special forces.
Iran is seeking to enhance the capabilities of these submarines by installing air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems, which will increase their underwater endurance and provide them with greater operational flexibility.
Strategic deployment: Naval bases
Iran’s naval bases are located across two geographical regions: the north (Caspian Sea) and the south (Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman). Each base plays a different role, from manufacturing to logistical support for combat operations.
- Bandar Abbas Base: The largest naval deployment centre, the headquarters of the General Command of the Navy, and the centre of ship and submarine manufacturing.
- Jask Base: A first point of defence in the Gulf of Oman, with advanced berthing positions, and serves to protect economic interests.
- Chabahar Base: The only one overlooking the Indian Ocean, it is Iran’s gateway to Central Asia.
- Bandar-e Anzali Base: The centre for submarine manufacturing and protection of oil installations in northern Iran.
- Kharg base: Garrison for major oil installations in the Persian Gulf.
- Imam Ali Base: Located in Chabahar, it is from where reconnaissance and offensive patrols are carried out in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf.
In addition to these bases, there are IRGC-specific bases, such as the Sirik base near the Strait of Hormuz, and the Abu Musa base on the eponymous island disputed with the UAE, along with Tamb al-Sughra and Tamb al-Kubra. Abu Musa houses missile defence systems and underground fortifications.
The Revolutionary Guard Fleet: Asymmetric warfare
Unlike the regular fleet, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) employs a different type of operation, known as asymmetric warfare, which involves the use of fast missile boats, mine-laying, and hit-and-run attacks.
This force includes:
- 10 Houdong boats
- 25 Peykaap II boats
- 10 MK13 boats
- Special units to carry out intelligence and offensive operations
These forces do not have large ships or submarines, but they are characterised by speed and manoeuvrability, making them a constant threat to any hostile naval presence.
Modern equipment and advances in capabilities
In August 2024, the Iranian Navy received 2,640 missile and drone systems, including cruise missiles that are untraceable by radars. It also conducted successful cruise missile launch tests from a small submarine, an indication of an evolving offensive capability.
In 2023, an Iranian naval group completed a journey that lasted more than eight months, during which it travelled 63,000 kilometres, and reached the Strait of Magellan in a first of its kind.
The fleet included the Dana destroyer and the Makran support ship, in a clear message that Iran wants to expand its reach into international waters.
