(Institute for the Study of War) Christopher Harmer - Iran's maritime forces, the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy (IRGCN), have taken a number of distinct actions that reflect Iran's broad, strategic ambitions. First, Iran has reprioritized some of its local maritime exercises towards solidifying or expanding territorial claims in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Caspian Sea. Second, IRIN has significantly increased its long-range deployments in support of strategic relationships with key partners. The writer, a senior naval analyst with the Middle East Security Project, served for twenty years as a career officer in the U.S. Navy, including as deputy director of future operations at the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
2013-07-16 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive