Iranian Naval Forces Spurred Into Action

In the wake of reports that the Iranian navy has spent most of the period since the 12-Day War in June tied up in harbor, Iranian naval commanders have been goaded into action and are seeking to make amends with a burst of activity.

Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, the commander of the regular Iranian Navy (Nedaja), has disclosed that the Moudge Class frigate IRINS Jamaran (F76) is now on patrol in the Indian Ocean, possibly between Mauritius and the East African coast. The frigate has just completed an extensive refit, and has been upgraded with enhanced sensors and radar detecting air targets out to 125 miles, a new vertical launch system for 75-mile range surface-to-air missiles, and the latest versions of the 175-mile range Ghadir anti-ship missile. The frigate may be in company with the logistic resupply vessel IRINS Makran (K441), which has been missing from its berth in Bandar Abbas since November 21.

Since its launch in 2007, the first of its class, IRINS Jamaran (F76) has had a long sea career. In September 2024, it was the lead ship in the 98th Flotilla, the penultimate to be deployed to the Red Sea. It distinguished itself on this deployment by ignoring distress calls from the Ukrainian-owned freighter MV Verbana, being 8nm from the ship when it was struck and sunk in the Gulf of Aden by two anti-ship cruise missiles and then (once static) by an anti-ship ballistic missile. A seriously-injured sailor was lifted off the burning vessel and saved by a helicopter from the Dutch naval support ship HLMNS Karel Doorman (A833), which luckily was equipped with a full surgical facility.

The Admiral also gave notice that the Nedaja would be training with Russian and Chinese naval vessels in South Africa during Exercise Mosi-3. The Russian Ambassador to South Africa has said this exercise will take place in early January 2026. These allies may then come together again for the next iteration of the annual trilateral Maritime Security exercise, normally held in the Gulf of Oman.

Speaking in a Navy Day ceremony on November 30 at the Naval Academy at Noshahr on the Caspian Sea, Rear Admiral Irani also said that a Nedaja flotilla was currently in the Far East. But if so, it has not been spotted.

He also mentioned that the converted logistics replenishment ship IRINS Kurdestan (K442) was about to be joined by a sister ship, to be named IRINS Khuzestan (probably to be pennant K443). IRINS Kurdestan was converted in the ISOCO shipyard west of Bandar Abbas from the Japanese-built 29,506 GT Tabukan (IMO 8917467). Through a similar conversion, Tabukan's sister ship Mena ( IMO 8909472) may likewise be about to emerge as IRINS Khuzestan. There is a ship of the correct dimensions in the ISOCO shipyard, but ground photography will be needed to make a definitive confirmation.

Iranian expert @mhmiranusa has also noted that the Nedaja has started using Zolfaghar Class fast attack craft, calling them STM16s. This modified version of the North Korean IPS-16, which can fire Kowsar or Nasr anti-ship missiles, was previously only used by the IRGC Navy (Nedsa).

Interestingly, Iranian Navy has started using Zolfghar class fast attack crafts (modified version of North Korean IPS-16). These boats use was limited to IRGCN before.
The Iranian Navy calls it STM16. pic.twitter.com/FqJOUL3z24

— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) November 30, 2025

Notwithstanding Admiral Irani's comments, four of the Nedaja's five operational Alvand and Moudge Class frigates remained tied up in the Bandar Abbas Naval Harbor on December 4, along with the intelligence collection frigate IRINS Zagros (H313) and most of the logistic resupply ships of the Nedsa.

Coincident with the renewed Nedaja activity, the Nedsa on December 4-5 conducted a series of missile firings in the Gulf of Oman as part of Exercise Eghtedar. Zolfaghar Class speedboat fired vertically-launched Nawab anti-aircraft missiles, which have a 10-mile range and an integral target detection and acquisition system, and also barrages of anti-ship missiles.

IRGC Navy exercise in the Persian Gulf today included use of cruise & ballistic anti-ship missiles, loitering munitions, & torpedoes against marine and coastal targets.
The small AShCM previously seen in the Yemeni Houthis arsenal (Sejjil) was also used for the 1st time by IRGCN. pic.twitter.com/PMFqWu7nxp

— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) December 5, 2025

Nedsa Zolfaghar fast attack craft firing anti-ship missiles during the exercise (Video from IRGC)

The Nedsa also claimed to have test-fired Qadr 110, 360 and 380 anti-ship cruise missiles and unidentified anti-ship ballistic missiles. Mohajer-6 UAV armed drones flew surveillance missions against US Navy ships monitoring the exercise. Notably, the Nedsa fired a new anti-ship cruise missile for the first time, a system supplied to the Houthis before it entered Nedsa service; this was probably the same system the Houthis used to target the MV Minervagracht (IMO 9571521) on September 29, an attack over 150 miles which needed a missile system with active radar terminal guidance, such as the Mandab-2 based on the Chinese C-802.

The Nedsa also put up a video showing a multiple launch of quadcopters from a coastal site, each carrying an unidentified but potentially offensive payload. The Nedsa have a multiplicity of overt and covert platforms from which they could launch such drones in one-way attack format, both in times of tension and in war.

Video of IRGC Navy exercise in the Persian Gulf 1st day including Mohajer-6 UAV surveillance on US Navy ships, Navvab air defense crafts firing Navvab SAMs to target drones, Anti-Ship missiles launch from coast and boats and OWA FPVs hitting marine targets. pic.twitter.com/u6jRWAuY2H

— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) December 4, 2025

Still from a Nedsa video showing a multiple launch of quadcopter drones (Nedsa)

The Nedsa needs to conduct live-firings of its range of missiles on a regular basis. Crews need to be kept familiar with systems, and operational procedures need to be tested. Descriptions of such exercises, and exaggerations of capabilities, are often reproduced by Western media outlets without critical commentary, thereby enhancing Iranian propaganda narratives. But the IRGC Qods Force in particular need such demonstrations to promote armament export potential to Resistance of Axis allies, and will probably also use these opportunities for final-phase training of Resistance of Axis crews, such as from the Houthis, prior to operational fielding of these systems.