Iran Begins Naval Exercises in the Strait of Hormuz and Sea of Oman

Reports indicate that the Iranian Navy commenced a "large-scale" exercise in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman on Thursday, February 21. Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, commander of the Iranian Navy, stated that the exercise began today and will last for one week. For the first time, a missile system that is carried by a submarine will participate in this exercise. According to IRNA, Rear Admiral Khanzadi emphasized: "In this exercise, surface, subsurface, and aerial vessels will participate in the naval parade; some equipment will be used in the form of exercises, and others will be utilized for the first time, including the firing of missiles from a submarine." Earlier this week, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated a new Iranian-made submarine named "Fateh," which, according to military officials, is capable of carrying and launching cruise missiles. The Iranian Navy stated that the Fateh submarine is equipped with torpedoes and a precise targeting system and can remain underwater for five weeks. Iran claims that its military power is solely for the defense of the country. Rear Admiral Khanzadi also mentioned that during this exercise, missiles with varying ranges will be fired from the decks of ships. He added: "For the first time, these weapons will be seriously tested, and we can make this maritime area unsafe for the enemy by any means necessary." According to Mehr News Agency, Rear Admiral Khanzadi also announced that the area of the Iranian Navy's exercise will start from two kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz and extend to ten degrees north in the Indian Ocean. The report states that part of the objectives of this exercise includes countering foreign threats and assessing the equipment and readiness of forces for operations in open seas. In this exercise, named "Velayat 97," in addition to practicing with warships, land-sea (blue-land) operations and countering such operations will also be executed. According to Al Jazeera, Iran conducted a joint naval exercise with Russia in the Caspian Sea in January of this year and also held separate land and air maneuvers, during which Iranian-made missiles, radar-evading equipment, and heat-seeking missiles were tested. Al Jazeera reported, citing experts, that the naval maneuver around the Strait of Hormuz is an annual exercise and is "not an unexpected issue." This exercise takes place amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States in the region. The U.S. government resumed nuclear sanctions against Iran a few months after exiting the JCPOA in May of this year, and since then, tensions between Iran and the U.S. have escalated. Before the return of U.S. oil sanctions against Iran, Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and previously Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, implicitly spoke of actions by Iran that were interpreted as a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz and even the Bab-el-Mandeb waterway in the Red Sea. These statements elicited reactions from U.S. officials and regional countries. General Joseph Votel, head of the U.S. Central Command, stated in response to an Iranian exercise in August of this year: "Our message to Iran is that we are aware of what is happening and are prepared to defend ourselves."