Iran Sends Submarines Into Red Sea
- Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:21am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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This is a photo released by the Iranian Defense Ministry which they claim shows Iran's Ghadir submarines in the southern port of Bandar Abbas in Persian Gulf, Iran, Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran has sent submarines to the Red Sea in the first such deployment by the country’s navy in distant waters, a semi-official news agency reported on Tuesday.
The deployment reflects Iran’s efforts to show off its naval power. Iran has long sought to upgrade its air defense systems and navy to portray itself as a regional military superpower, as well as prepare for any possible future attacks against the country, saying they would most likely be air and sea-based.
The Fars news agency, which is close to Iranian military officials, said the submarines would collect data in international waters and identify warships of other countries.
The report quoted an unnamed government official as saying the submarines accompanied Iranian warships on an anti-piracy route in the Gulf of Aden before they moved into the Red Sea earlier this month. Fars gave no details on the number or capabilities of the submarines.
Iran has long had three Russian-made submarines and last year, four new small Iranian-built submarines were delivered to its navy.
The four were said to be Ghadir class submarines, which can fire missiles and torpedoes and at the same time are capable of cruising in shallow waters, such as those of the Persian Gulf off the Iranian coast.
Earlier this year, two Iranian warships shuttled in a naval visit to Syria. The move prompted an outcry by Israel, which considers Iran an existential threat because of its nuclear program, its calls for Israel’s destruction and its support for the Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah militants.
Israel, the United States and others want to stop Iran from what they fear is a push by Tehran to develop nuclear weapons. So far the pressure on Iran has been mostly through international sanctions but both Israel and the U.S. have not ruled out a military strike if sanctions fail.
Iran says its nuclear program aims only to produce electricity.




















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Comments (141)
Rickfromillinois
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:53amI was under the impression that one of the major advantages to a diesel boat besides it’s cost was how quiet it was. I am not sure people are taking the danger that these submarines seriously enough. Let‘s say for example that Israel was preparing for or was actually involved in a war with it’s neighbor. How would it get resupplied? The answer is by ship. Even if transport ships were accompanied by military escorts, the submarines could do some very significant damage and may even turn the scales in Iran’s direction. One of the big problems that submarines have when attacking convoys is getting set up in such a way as to be able to get away without being destroyed. What if the captain of the submarine didn’t care about getting away, only about getting his torpedoes fired at his target?
Report Post »Considering the many times that Iran has said that it was going to destroy Israel this movement of their submarines is very worrisome.
hoopla
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:43amI almost hope the Iranians do something stupid enough to get blown outta the water, almost…
Report Post »spreadcommonsensenot pc
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:36amNo need to get all riled up people, read ezekial 36-38……Russia,Iran and Turkey will attack Israil….
Report Post »this coalition (russia,iran,turkey) of evil will be destroyed
LOSTAGAIN
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:28amthis can’t end well.
Report Post »Seabee79
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:22amWhere is the Merrimack and Monitor when you need them .
Report Post »jeckelmyhyde
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:11amIran wants to flex it muscles, that’s funny. They should have asked the Soviets how so many of their subs were involved in mysterious accidents.
Report Post »morioka
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:10ameveryone seem to laugh at the stupid Iranians and their old submarines
but you know, they are not stupid (even though it seems to us they are)
they know exactly what they are doing and they don’t act alone, they have Russia and China behind them
they will strike Israel at the right moment for them and at a time when Israel cannot do anything against it
that moment is coming, Israel may have a strong army but this is not what counts nowadays
Israel is losing it’s battle because Israel lost the world (all Israel has is a few millions supporters in the USA and Canada and that’s it! no country in the world stands with Israel these days)
I‘m sorry for sounding so pessimistic but my eyes are open and whenever I’m in Europe and I see what’s going on there, it feels like America is all that’s left for sane people..
Report Post »capitalism, equal rights and faith are disapearing from this world
patriot308
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 7:01pm@ morioka
Report Post »Even though the situation for Israel is not rosy, it’s not as bad as some people think. A few simple truths
pound for pound, Israel is the most adept military in the world
Israel has subs also; and very high tech
Israel has many nukes and the majority will be launched even if the Israeli land mass is nuked (see the part about Israeli subs)
If you don’t think Israel has thought and planned for the end of their world and retaliation, you would be mistaken. And every country in the middle east knows it.
ginpa
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:08amHow do they bow down to Mecca five times a day on one of those things?
Report Post »TheLeftMadeMeRight
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:02amWell, the nice thing about third world submariners, they make good practice targets for the fast attack boats, and the media doesn’t get any pictures to use for propaganda. What happens underwater, stays underwater. Fire one….
Report Post »poorrichard09
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:59amThe Red Sea, huh? They will end up there with Pharoah’s chariots.
It’s going to take a similar miracle for Israel to survive-but it will happen. Psalm 83
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:52amWel,l at least it will give our sub fleet something interesting to do for a couple years. You know those subs wont be moving alone under the water, the Russians will be there to teach them how to at least stay afloat.
Report Post »cloudsofwar
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:47amIran wants to be a super power sooooooo bad. they will rest off the coast of Israel and wait. Israel already knows were they are and stands ready to sink them. but i thought turds float. oh well
Report Post »HemiOwner
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:47amCan you say “depth charge”?
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:38amI could tell it was Iranian. They bought it from the Polish Navy. I can see thje screen door.
Report Post »NEAF
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:36amSubmarines? Look to me like a big can of rag-azz.
Report Post »lketchum
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:36amSink them right now. All of them. Sink. Their. Entire. Navy. and. Merchant. Fleet. Now!!!
Report Post »ofallon
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:35amIsrael has a far superior military. These subs look like the kind we would play with as kids. We would fill them with baking powder or baking soda, put them in the bathtub and watch them move around underwater.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:30amI’m all for some target practice! barry won’t fire on his brothers, though. Might an “accident” be arranged?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:57amIf one does, figure the Israelis or the Saudi’s are the ones to arrainge one to occur.
Report Post »shadownmss
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:29amThis design looks like it was based on the toy submarines that came in a box of Cap’n Crunch Cereal when I was a kid !!
Report Post »MotoMofo
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:28amI hope they work better than their aircraft.
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:56amI don’t.
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:27amThis is very serious, too bad we don’t have a government that cares.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:51amAgreed on the danger and the admin not caring; these subs are a lot more dangerous than many folks are giving them credit for. These are able to be used as political weapons of terrorism, even if they each only get one shot in for effect on the worlds oil supply lines at sea.
Report Post »Tickdog
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:27amDont whine about it, just blow them out of the water.
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:25amLooks like something out of an old WWII movie!! They are Russian made kick the side and it will sink! Desert Storm II 100 days totally destroy Irans military and leaders and be done with it ! enough is enough!
Report Post »HemiOwner
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:48amDidn’t Clark Gable use that one in Run Silent Run Deep? Must have got it off a Hollywood back lot surplus sale.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:54am@Hemi Owner:
I believe so; I have studied submarine warfare for many years, and the awsome potential of these machines and crews is incredible; even the destruction of one or two tankers or supply ships would be able to send shockwaves around the world.
Report Post »50BMG
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 11:03amNever underestimate your sworn enemy, or overestimate your own capabilities.
They aren’t going to fight this war by playing to our strengths.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:25amNow that the Iranians have ships in Syria, that is where soon these will head for, or down into the area of Somalia. Watch for mysterious sinkings of ships to occur as Iran starts a campaign of undersea based terrorism upon Western shipping lanes, and those of Israel.
Report Post »TexasPatriot
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:36amIMO I don’t think even they believe that would work. I’ll bet those subs are so loud underwater our navy can hear them…….in Hawaii! Rest assured we have several nuke subs in that area of the world.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:40amSnowleopard………………………….I was thinking along the same lines. This is far more important than Weiners photos and comments.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:42am@Texas Patriot;
Let me refer you to a older book from the late 90s entitled Sub v Sub, written by a British Vice Admiral after he retired – he use to be a sub driver for much of his career along iwth the submarine warfare school of the UK (sub and anti sub warfare) in which he specifies examples of how with even a lone sub, like these herre, it IS VERY POSSIBLE.
Also, those diesel subs are a heck of a lot more quiet than people realize.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:48am@Pamela Kay:
Understood, this is a means that is VERY possible; the govt of Iran can use them in terrorism of the sealanes, laying blame solely at the feet of Israel who also has diesel subs, and ratcheting up even more pressure on the world.
Think of what will happen if even one or two ships become flaming datums (data points) via a sub, and how the world will react to the oil supply routes endangered…also what will happen if or when Israel will be forced to react.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 11:53amThey call them subs … yeah Iran good luck with that .
Report Post »This junk won’t find any buyers even in a yard sale .
USAMEDIC3008
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 12:37pmI would say these subs are extremly quite built to operate in
Report Post »shallow waters and have a made in china tag on them.
TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:23amTarget practice anyone?
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:30am.
Report Post »I’m saving my rock for my neighbors dog…..
Dustyluv
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:32amI say make the sea really red…
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:32amWe all die in an Iranian Submarine, Iranian Submarine, Iranian Submarine
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:33amsink them with exteme prejudice.
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:35ami am getting the picture of the apple dumpling gang, mixed with the mouse that roared, mixed with jihadists. My bet these numbskulls end up at the bottom of the harbor they ship out from.
Report Post »Ebbertron
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:35amare those DIESEL?!??
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:46am@Tron:
While I do agree with the idea of ‘target practice’ indeed; the thing to understand, if Iran unleashes them in a form of economic terrorism against the shipping lanes of the world, it will be very difficult to stop them. For any sub engaged in such terrorism on the seas its initial identity is almost impossible to discern, and I can almost guarantee that Iran would place blame fully at the feet of Israel.
It can happen, and just may.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:49am@Eberton:
Yes they are.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 8:53amAnyone scoffing at the ability of a handful of subs to cause chaos in numbers this small (of subs), read the book called Operation Drumbeat, and the first part in which six U- boats wrecked utter havoc on a unprepared east coast of America. It can happen again, anywhere the major choke points are located, and the shock across the world will be immense.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:08amI wonder if the engines are rated in Camel power?
Report Post »proliance
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:09amThe funny thing about submarines is that when they have an accident in deep water no one knows what happened. No witnesses, no evidence. Just blame it on shoddy maintenance.
Report Post »Mandors
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:15am@Snowleopard
Actually, if we have our own subs in the area, we can pinpoint exactly who’s sub it is by the sound. Again, that is if we have a boat in the Red Sea. Which I’d guess (hope) we do.
Report Post »joe conservative
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:18amI thought Obama was going to clear away all of the world’s problems? I thought everything would be roses and sunshine? Hmmm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sRcbiSa0rA
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:41amTheir purpose is to blow the so-called humanitarian flotilla out of the water and Israel will be blamed.
Report Post »imreddog
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 9:48amIDEA! Why don’t we send one of our “sub hunting” submarines to make Iran’s sub mysteriously disappear. Accidents do happen, you know. Just a thought.
Report Post »Armed Patriot
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 10:15am@Mandors
Report Post »Rest assured. These subs have already been acoustically tagged and the moment they leave their harbors will be followed by our fast attack submarines. If they ever start getting froggy… we WILL jump. Intl waters is a great place for them, we can get close to them and have a ready firing solution.
jackrorabbit
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 10:30amThis is a bad omen. They are setting up the world, and the world isn’t very smart.
Report Post »techengineer11
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 10:36amMaybe they can get a few into the Mediterranean in order to protect the Palestinian aid convoys from the Israeli butchers? We all know how the Jews have a history of slaughtering civilians in cold blood so they will most definitely need an escort.
Watch Alex Jones denouncement of Israel on youtube from yesterday. Very insightful unbiased analysis.
Report Post »Dandylyon
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 11:00amGetting in one of these is like strapping on a bomb.These clowns are nothing more then cannon fodder
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 11:09amThe Iranians had better be careful. The Red Sea is a dangerous place for the enemies of God and the Jewish people. Check your history….
Report Post »dr_funk
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 11:29amLOL @Snow
Bull. Our sonar technology is eons ahead of these clowns. Our subs are already in the gulf, keeping tabs on them. There’s no problem identifying enemy subs, because it’ll be the roar of an old electric engine in a dive, and it’ll be the roar of a big giant diesel on the surface. We’ve already got a sonar profile on these dinosaurs. And I’d venture to guess, these dinosaurs already have tails…
Report Post »Evileye
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 12:02pmLooking at the snorkels on them I would say they are wasting money.
Report Post »They could sink a Tanker for sure,But so could a small Zodiac with a missle or bomb
The USS Cole Not sunk but put out of commission by a small boat.
If you want to bring the USA to it knees stop the oil from passing threw the narrow off Qushm Island
in Iran.
the Iranians could probably get away with Black Mail. Not firing a shot .Demand a princely sum
for each barrel of oil.
Obumbler would not have the Balls to do anything about it.
we are broke now so funding any action would be hard, also if China went along with the Iranians we would be painted into a corner.
$150.00 dollar per barrel oil would assure a total collapse of the US economy.
With a debit that is mathematically impossible to payoff the USA would become Great Britain after the
End of the British Empire
Okie from Muskogee
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 12:10pmThis is called Chess. Iran’s military is very weak and and way outdated. Iran wants nothing more then to be attacked so that once attacked the whole Middle East unites against the attacker (Israel USA). Iran is poking and prodding to get a reaction and to “scare” those who do not know better. Kind of like throwing a knight out in the open for easy taking only to lead to the death trap. Leave the knight alone and the trap fails leaving the Knight exposed to the enemy and useless.
Without war with Israel, the Middle East and Caliphate will not be able to unite. I bet Saudi Arabia soon simmers Iran down a couple notches whether via social war or physical war with the weapons the USA sold them.
Report Post »logictrumps
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 1:04pm@ Snowleopard
Our navy has the ability to maintain a rather accurate location on everything operating in the area, including these subs.
As for Iran going rogue, it depends on where the subs are headed. If the subs are granted passage through the suez canal then Iran is positioning themselves for the upcoming gaza flotilla. I don’t think at this point Iran wants to mess with international shipping lanes, to do so would be an end to their oil/gas exports and their economy. If they remain in the red sea I can see them using the threat of sinking oil tankers in the suez once the gaza flotilla has arrived in order to force pressure on the west but that is about it.
Report Post »techengineer11
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 1:35pmOkie from Muskogee: I‘d never really considered the fact that Saudi could challenge Iran but they don’t have much in terms of ground forces do they? I wonder what the difference in oil revenues is for the two countries. I never think of Iran as a wealthy nation but they are like the 3rd biggest oil exporter while Saudi is either one or two and we all consider Saudi to be a very wealthy nation. Hard to know if the leadership in Iran is putting money back into the country, investing or skimming for that matter.. Furthermore, I think the Saudi family may be Sunni while Iran is predominantly Shiite. Regardless there are interesting dynamics at play.
Personally I wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of the Iranian leaders because they are playing with fire.. Some high stakes poker.. While many on here consider Obama Muslim and all nothing could be farther from the truth.. He was chosen by the so called chosen and I’m sure at their command and with the proper provocation he’d be more than willing to bomb them into smithereens… Especially for a little extra campaign cash.. lol
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 2:02pmMaybe they should turn to the Columbian Drug Cartels for subs they at least don’t take much of a learning curve to operate.
Yeah those are diesel electric subs and they will spend most of the time on the surface charging batteries, remember it was Babylon and the region that created the original batteries from orange juice (citric acid) and copper, so they need to stay surfaced to use the Jack la Lanne Juicers to keep them powered underwater.
Report Post »Okie from Muskogee
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 2:22pm@Tech
It all depends upon the eyes viewing the situation. Sunni nations, Saudi, Kuwait, Qutar, Jordan, Yemen, etc are ruled/influenced by the USA. The King of Saudi Arabia will not allow his thrown and bloodline to go down to the Iranians. The USA has trained many Saudis and has sold them billions upon billions of weapons and technologies. The giant in the region is the King, Saudi Arabia, and this King can get fighters from every nation under it’s authority upon one plea of the King. Saudi Arabia has no desire to wipe Israel off the map. They have the Dome of the Rock and all other shrines. Israel is a thorn in their side they deal with to appease the USA.
Iran, being Shia and enemy of the USA, needs the holy war with Israel in order to unite the Caliphate against the USA and to gain them favor in the Caliphate as the “right” sect over Sunni’s sect. Iran is just trying to get a provocation in every move they make. If Israel is to attack anyone, it will be Syria as Israel has no way to attack Iran without flying over other nations alerting the attack.
Iran has trouble getting fighters due to their harsh treatment of their own people. I see Arabs obtaining more fighters from the Sunni King plea then from an Iranian demand. Remember, Saudi liked Saddam as he kept Iran in check. Now he is gone Saudi will have to check Iran. We caused a powerful Iran with removal of Saddam. Weird isn’t it…….
Report Post »Polwatcher
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 2:50pmThis is no surprise. It looks like anyone (except our government) can plainly see what is going down in the middle east.
Report Post »Ebbertron
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 3:40pmthis all reminds me of a bad joke about “iranian sea-men”
Report Post »teddlybar
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 5:03pmTempting, but given our belief in freedom of the seas, not a viable option. Might be kinda fun though to have Virginia’s covertly shadow them and occasionally hit them with active sonar, before going covert again . . . just often enough and irregularly enough to make it clear that they’re toast if hostilities ever actually break out.
Report Post »techengineer11
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 5:54pmOkie from Muskogee: Furthermore I believe Iraq is now majority Shiite as well and now even their Leader is Shiite. So it’s even more likely that they will now ally themselves together against the more Western leaning Sunni states. It also appears that Yemen and Bahrain are about to be toppled by Shiites.
Report Post »Then what if Iran wants a nuke in order to sway the balance of power in their favor among other Arab nations.. Would give them more leverage I suppose.
Bob_R_OathKeeper
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 6:04pmTech and Okie, you two Jew-hating imbeciles make me laugh, I wouldn‘t doubt for a second you know each other or you’re the same lost individual. Sad pathetic trolls, if you hate Jews so much, I’m sure there are other sites that will welcome you with open arms, do you really think you are going to change people minds that have seen and heard the truth? LOL, pathetic and futile.
Report Post »Mikhail Kennedy
Posted on June 7, 2011 at 6:29pm@TechEngineer
Report Post »Congratulations!
In your replies to Okie you never once spewed your hate for the Jews. Is it because it tires you out to always be so hateful? Looking forward to reading some opinions that are on topic, not just the usual anti-Semitic crap that you post regularly.
Okie from Muskogee
Posted on June 8, 2011 at 2:30pm@BobOathKeeper
Your dumb! I said nothing on hating Jews. I did and am speaking on topic around Iran and the Middle East. Buzz off.
@Tech
It will have to be an Arab country taking out Iran. Israel again has zero flight path and while we did operate Iraq we, the USA, declined permission for them to use Iraqi air space to conduct the operation. How many nukes does Saudi have at their disposal thru the USA? The 2nd beast has control over the whole world. Iran is racing for a “nuke” while Saudi has enough cash to buy how many or is tied so close enough to us we protect them and arm them.
Yes Iran is winning the Social war, toppling of Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, but once Iran gets simmered down the King will rule. Iran’s provocations of boats and sub is to give Israel targets to hit to start the war. Iran knows Israel can’t raid them by air. Israel is wise in her restraint for now. Chess not checkers. Stay safe.
Report Post »FuturePresident
Posted on June 9, 2011 at 2:57pmLOL those subs are little tin cans. we had similar looking subs….in WW2.
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