The Sabalan is one of three Alvand-class frigates that Iran owns. They were built back in the 1960s in the UK for Iran’s regime before the Islamic revolution. In an “exclusive” statement to Iran’s Tasnim News, the navy in Iran says they intend to outfit the frigate with more firepower. It will have 12 cruise missiles installed on it.
‘In a conversation with the defense reporter of Tasnim news agency, Admiral Shahram Irani, commander of the Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced the increase in the Sabalan destroyer's sea cruise missiles,” the report says.
This is important for Iran’s relatively small navy. Iran doesn’t have very many large surface ships capable of performing blue-water naval operations far from base.
Instead, Iran relies on its IRGC navy to harass ships and conduct operations in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. READ MORE
