Iran unveils new navy vessels equipped with 600km range missiles 

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ navy unveiled new vessels equipped with 600 km range missiles at a time of rising tensions with the US in the Gulf, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday.

The announcement was made during a military exercise off the coast of Abu Musa island, one of three Gulf islands under Iranian control but disputed by the United Arab Emirates.

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The news agency gave no details about the missiles but cited a commander on the need to defend the islands.

“The islands of the [Arabian] Gulf are part of Iran’s honour and we will defend them,” Revolutionary Guards’ Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri said, adding that Gulf security needed to be provided by regional countries.

“The [Arabian] Gulf belongs to all of the region’s countries … These states must be very prudent and prevent themselves from falling into the conspiracies and divisive plans of extra-regional countries,” he added.

Last month, the United States sent additional F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, along with a warship to the Middle East, in a bid to monitor waterways in the region following Iran’s seizure of commercial shipping vessels in recent months.

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