Info:
The Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) consists of 20,000 men and 1,500 boats and fast attack boats separate from the regular Navy of Artesh assuming control over Iranian maritime operations in the Persian Gulf. IRGC’s Navy has steadily improved its capabilities to support unconventional warfare and defend Iran’s offshore facilities, coastlines, and islands in the Persian Gulf. It has also a Takavar (special force) unit, called Sepah Navy Special Force (S.N.S.F.);
On 7 January 2008, US officials claimed five Iranian speedboats ‘harassed’ United States Navy vessels in the Persian Gulf. IRGC speedboats made threatening moves and in one case even came within 180 meters of US warships. The US Navy also claimed to have received a radio transmission from Iranian boats saying: “I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes”. After this US ships were said to have taken up their gun positions and were ready to open fire at one of the boats when the Iranians turned away and one of the Iranian speedboats (allegedly) dropped white boxes into the water in front of the U.S. ships, it was not clear what was in the boxes. Iranian officials and military commanders later downplayed the incidents as normal. After the US released a video showing Iranian speedboats swarming US ships in the Strait of Hormuz;
On 12 January 2016,10 American sailors were apprehended by IRGC officials off the coast of Farsi Island, which doubles as a naval installation for the IRGC. American officials stated that the sailors were on a training mission when one of their boats experienced a mechanical failure. During this time the vessel drifted into Iranian territorial waters spurring IRGC naval units to respond and apprehend the sailors with both vessels. US Secretary of State John Kerry engaged in a phone call with Iranian officials to defuse the situation;
On 21 June 2004, eight sailors and Royal Marines were seized by forces of the Revolutionary Guards’ Navy while training Iraqi river patrol personnel in the Persian Gulf. On 23 March 2007, fifteen sailors and Royal Marines from HMS Cornwall were seized by forces of the Revolutionary Guards’ Navy in the Persian Gulf;
On February 25, 2015, war games exercises (Great Prophet IX) were conducted in the general area of the Strait of Hormuz on Larak Island, Persian Gulf;
Qeshm Madkandaloo, on Qeshm Island, Iran has been a supplier to the IRGC-Navy of dockside equipment, as well as general support and maintenance services, since as early as 2011. The company has served multiple IRGC-Navy bases and has received weapons from the IRGC-Navy to test in the Strait of Hormuz;
Equipment:
Watercraft
Thondar Class Missile Boats, Tir II (IPS 18) Torpedo Boats, IPS-16 Peykaap Class Zolfaghar Torpedo Boats, Boghammar Patrol Boats, Rigid-hulled inflatable Zodiac Commando Boats, Type Seraj Speedboats Missile & Torpedo Boats, based on the Bladerunner 51 speedboat, Catamaran Shahid Nazeril.
Aircraft
Mil Mi-17 Helicopter; Bavar 2 Ground effect vehicle
Coastal Anti-Ship Missiles
Noor, based on the Chinese C-802, Kowsar, based on the Chinese C-701, Kowsar, based on the Chinese TL-10, Nasr-1, based on the Chinese TL-6, HY-2 Silkworm, Qader, medium-range anti-ship cruise missile;
Also Known As:
Navy of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution
Revolutionary Guards’ Navy
NEDSA
Involved In:
Nuclear Weapon Program
Missile Weapon Program
Chemical Weapon Program
Biological Weapon Program
Established:
1979
Allegiance:
Supreme Leader of Iran
Country:
Iran
Facilities:
Farsi Island
Sirri Island
Abu Musa
Larak Island
Person of interests:
Ali Reza Tangsiri
Fadavi Ali
Safari Morteza
Reason for the color:
» The Treasury Department designated the IRGC Navy pursuant to E.O. 13382 in October 2007, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their supporters;
» IRGCN Naval Regions;
» IRGC Navy Commander Iran ready to give crushing, appropriate response to threats;
» IRGC Navy showcases long-range fast cruising vessel;
» Iran’s Naval Forces;
» IRGC Navy Commander Fadavi American Vessels Will Be Sunk in the Persian Gulf;
» IRGC Navy to Establish Basij Navy;
» IRGC Navy Dispatches Fleet of Warships to Qatar;
» 12 torpedo cruisers join IRGC Navy;