Iran unveils first advanced ‘signals-intelligence’ destroyer
The Iranian Army unveiled an advanced reconnaissance ship, state media said on Wednesday, as military forces conducted drills nationwide focused on safeguarding the country’s nuclear facilities.
“The country’s first signals intelligence ship, named Zagros, is added to the Navy’s combat operations,” state TV reported.
The Iranian-made vessel is equipped with “electronic sensors,” interceptors, and other cyber and intelligence capabilities, the report said. Zagros’s launch comes days into major military exercises conducted by the army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, which are set to continue until mid-March and are focused on protecting key nuclear sites including Natanz, Fordow and Khondab.
Navy chief Admiral Shahram Irani said that the new spy ship “will be the watchful eye of the Iranian Navy in the depths of the seas and oceans.”
“In light of all the orders of prudence that we are issued through the [relevant] chain-of-command, we try incessantly for the result of our performance to serve as a source of pride for the Islamic Republic’s establishment,” the commander remarked.
Irani finally said all of the ship’s equipment was of Iranian production, adding that the Navy had managed to meet the country’s defensive demands on the back of its intelligence command as part of its efforts to ensure stable naval security across various bodies of water, including the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, as well as other waterways.
Iran’s Armed Forces have been continuously enhancing their military hardware and combat readiness in recent years. The forces have vowed to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of the threats that are posed by the Iranian nation’s enemies.