Khamenei to Navy Forces: Increase Your Capabilities as Much as Possible

On Wednesday, December 7, the leader of the Islamic Republic called on the commanders of the Iranian Navy to enhance their "capabilities and readiness" to ensure that "enemies do not dare to threaten the Iranian nation." According to the website of Ayatollah Khamenei, during the Navy Day meeting with commanders and officials of the Islamic Republic's Navy, he stated: "Increase your capabilities and readiness as much as you can." He regarded the enhancement of the armed forces' readiness as a means of "deterrence and fear for enemies" and emphasized that the Islamic Republic "does not intend to start a war with anyone, but you must increase your capabilities to the extent that the enemy is not only fearful of attacking Iran but also... the shadow of threat is removed from the Iranian nation." Khamenei referred to what he called a "broad front of enemies and rivals" against the Islamic Republic and added: "The existence of this reality, along with the necessity to compensate for shortcomings, indicates the need for extraordinary and additional work in all sectors of the system, including the Navy." He also expressed satisfaction with the addition of the destroyer "Sahand" and the submarines "Fateh" and "Ghadir" to the Navy fleet. On September 9 of this year, Khamenei had also called for maximum military strengthening of the Islamic Republic at a ceremony at the Navy University in Nowshahr. Khamenei called for an "increasing number of initiatives, readiness, and capabilities" of the armed forces in "scientific, organizational, and combat fields" and cited a verse from the Quran that instructs Muslims to "increase your power as much as you can, for your strength frightens the enemy and compels them to retreat." A week prior, he had stated that from a "political" perspective, the likelihood of war "does not exist," but the armed forces must increase their capabilities. Following the increase in U.S. sanctions against Iran and the efforts of officials in that country to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero, the President and military commanders of the Islamic Republic have threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Admiral John Richardson, the U.S. Navy's operational commander, warned Iran that the United States would maintain the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz by any means necessary.