IRGC Unveils a 'Fast Attack Helicopter Carrier'

On Tuesday, September 23, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the unveiling of a 'fast attack helicopter carrier' that, according to them, 'enhances Iran's deterrent capability and affects the enemy's calculations, especially the United States.' According to reports from ISNA and Iranian state television, the IRGC stated that this vessel is capable of carrying 100 people. The announcement follows a series of reports in recent weeks about confrontations between Iranian fast boats and American warships in the Persian Gulf. Iranian television aired images of a vessel that, according to Ali Fadavi, the naval commander of the IRGC, measures 55 meters in length, 14 meters in width, and 13 meters in height, with a navigation range of 10,000 kilometers. The speed of this vessel has been reported at 28 knots. Fadavi added that this vessel has been named 'Martyr General Mohammad Nazari' and is 'the largest aluminum vessel with an advanced hull and modern technology in the world.' A quote from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is inscribed on the vessel, stating: 'America go to the Bay of Pigs, the Persian Gulf is our home.' This remark is part of the Supreme Leader's statements made in May this year, criticizing the presence of the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf by referring to the failure of the CIA-supported Cuban invasion of the 'Bay of Pigs' in 1961. The IRGC naval commander described the U.S. presence in the Persian Gulf as 'a factor of insecurity and evil,' stating: 'Americans say that tensions between us and the IRGC Navy have increased and that we seek direct communication with them, but our answer is that your presence is a factor of insecurity and evil. If we ever enter the Gulf of Mexico, we will establish direct communication.' Ali Razmjoo, commander of the IRGC's second naval zone in Bushehr, also stated: 'This vessel enhances Iran's deterrent capability and affects the enemy's calculations, especially the United States.' The IRGC Navy and U.S. warships have a history of direct confrontations in the Persian Gulf. Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that seven IRGC fast boats harassed a U.S. warship in the Persian Gulf, forcing the ship to change its course to avoid collision. This incident occurred on Sunday, September 14, and according to the Pentagon, one of the IRGC boats came within 90 meters of the warship. In previous weeks, IRGC fast boats had repeatedly harassed U.S. warships, and in one instance, the USS Squall fired into the waters around one of these boats, causing it to flee the scene. Last January, the IRGC temporarily detained 10 American sailors, who reportedly entered Iranian waters by mistake. General Joseph Votel, head of the U.S. Central Command, described the recent movements of the IRGC's fast boats as 'provocative' and warned that these actions could have dire consequences. Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the presidential election, threatened on September 19 that if he wins, Iranian fast boats that harass U.S. destroyers in the Persian Gulf will be targeted. These events come as Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, spokesman for Hassan Rouhani's government, stated on Tuesday that 'discussions about military confrontation in the Persian Gulf are just creating a narrative. Our valiant border guards are always ready to confront any aggressor.'