Iranian Navy Chief to US Warships:  We’re over the Heads

By Staff, Agencies

The commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Shahram Irani hailed the force’s comprehensive surveillance over the American warships that sail across regional waters.

“The United States aircraft carrier as well as 16-strong destroyers and frigates that are present in the region are being constantly surveilled by our reconnaissance drones,” Irani said on Monday.

“We are over their heads,” he added, referring to the warships in question.

The Iranian surveillance aircraft were visible even to the naked eye, the commander said, describing the visibility as a means of the Islamic Republic’s “saying to the Americans that this region is not your place and we maintain all of your movements under observation.”

The IRG Navy can supply various types of heavy vessels enabling it to have a presence in international waters, says a senior commander.

“This is a very important fact that we enjoy the capability to surveil the enemy even at sea,” Irani said, noting that this matter had turned into “a cause for concern for the Americans.”

The commander commended the Navy for its having managed to provide security for both Iranian vessels and those of the countries that have reached out to the force for protection, asking it to escort their ships.

“The Navy escorts oil and commercial cargoes from Venezuela’s coastline to the Americas, Europe, and Africa, confronting whatever violation that could take place against our ships,” Irani noted.

He cited the case of Iranian naval forces’ recent recapture and confiscation of an oil embargo and the vessel bearing it that had been impounded by the United States, although the vessel had been renamed by the Americans.

The commander finally asserted that the Islamic Republic’s Navy was after “putting the strength of [the country’s] Islamic establishment on displace far across the [international] oceans.”