Iran gears navy with new warships

Iran equips its naval forces with new warships in line with a strategy to reinforce its presence in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

"Two newly-manufactured missile boats, named 'Kalat' (Fortress) and 'Derafsh' (Flag), as well as a light submarine will become operational on November 27," said the chief Iranian navy commander, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, on Sunday.

The announcement comes at a time when the Iranian army is preparing to counter a potential military conflict in the region.

According to Haaretz, ‘Israeli' army chiefs are urging Tel Aviv to draw up a 'contingency plans to attack Iran' in order to halt the country's nuclear progress, even if it means courting a confrontation with the White House.

US President-elect Barack Obama has expressed desire to engage the Tehran government in direct negotiations over its nuclear program.

The possibility of the restoration of ties between Tehran and Washington under an Obama administration has been met with strong opposition in ‘Israel'.

Tel Aviv alleges that Tehran, a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has plans 'to build a nuclear weapon', claiming a nuclear Iran would pose an existential threat to ‘Israel'.

Iran denies the ‘Israeli' claim, insisting that its enrichment program is solely directed at the civilian applications of the technology.

In response to the threats against its national security, Iran has warned that should the country come under attack by either the US or ‘Israel', its armed forces would target ‘Israel' and American bases in the region as well as closing down the Strait of Hormuz

The strategic waterway -- through which as much as 40 percent of the world's sea-transited oil supplies pass -- links the oil-rich region to international waters.

Adm. Sayyari said the Iranian naval forces are monitoring all military movements in the region and are fully prepared to counter any threat foreign forces in the region could present to Tehran.