State-of-the-art Iranian surveillance ship enters naval service

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Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

Iran has unveiled its first signals intelligence vessel, the Zagros, designed for advanced electronic surveillance and cyber intelligence. The domestically constructed ship is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors to enhance intelligence gathering and maritime monitoring.

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Admiral Shahram Irani says the Zagros will play a critical role in securing Iran’s maritime interests, calling it the navy’s “watchful eye” across global waters.

Iran unveils Zagros (313), its first domestically built advanced reconnaissance vessel pic.twitter.com/u9N4h0wW2R
— Iran Military (@IRIran_Military) January 15, 2025

The launch of Zagros coincides with heightened military activity in Iran. The country recently initiated two-month-long military exercises, including war games defending critical nuclear facilities, like Natanz, against simulated missile and drone attacks.

These drills involve both the Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and are scheduled to run through mid-March. Mohammad Eslami, the director of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, announced additional exercises focusing on passive defense and operational readiness.

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Iran is also bolstering its arsenal, recently delivering 1,000 drones to its army. In October, officials announced plans to increase the military budget by 200%, citing escalating regional threats. The Zagros is part of Iran’s broader strategy to modernize its navy using domestically developed technologies. The country plans to establish its largest military hub in Jask, near the Gulf of Oman, equipped with advanced dock posts and facilities.

The Zagros enters service amid increased international scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran’s uranium enrichment levels have reached 60%, nearing weapons-grade. Tehran insists its nuclear activities are peaceful, a claim met with skepticism.

Relations with the United States remain strained following the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement, reimposed sanctions and regional disputes involving Iranian proxies and maritime security.

Tags: Iran, Drones, Navy, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, International Atomic Energy Agency, Islamic Republic of Iran

[Ryan Robertson]

IRAN’S NAVY UNVEILED ITS FIRST SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE SHIP. CALLED THE ZAGROS, IT’S DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE SURVEILLANCE AND CYBER INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES OF THE IRANIAN FLEET.

THE ZAGROS IS REPORTEDLY EQUIPPED WITH ADVANCED ELECTRONIC SENSORS, TO HELP IN THE SHIP’S MISSION OF INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AND MONITORING.

A SENIOR NAVY COMMANDER DESCRIBED ZAGROS AS THE NAVY’S “WATCHFUL EYE” ACROSS GLOBAL SEAS AND OCEANS.

THE LAUNCH OF ZAGROS COINCIDES WITH THE HEIGHTENED MILITARY ACTIVITY IN IRAN. EARLIER THIS MONTH, IRAN BEGAN TWO-MONTH-LONG MILITARY EXERCISES, INCLUDING WAR GAMES AIMED AT DEFENDING NUCLEAR FACILITIES FROM SIMULATED MISSILE AND DRONE ATTACKS.

THESE DRILLS, INVOLVING BOTH THE IRANIAN ARMY AND THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS, ARE SCHEDULED TO CONTINUE THROUGH MID-MARCH, WILL STAY FOCUSED ON NUCLEAR INFRASTRUCTURE DEFENSE.

IN ADDITION TO THE ZAGROS LAUNCH, IRAN RECENTLY DELIVERED 1,000 NEW DRONES TO ITS ARMY, HIGHLIGHTING ONGOING EFFORTS TO BOLSTER ALL DOMAINS OF ITS MILITARY CAPABILITIES. IN OCTOBER, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO INCREASE THE MILITARY BUDGET BY 200-PERCENT, CITING PERCEIVED REGIONAL THREATS.

ZAGROS REPRESENTS IRAN’S BROADER STRATEGY TO MODERNIZE ITS NAVAL FORCES USING DOMESTICALLY DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGIES. THE COUNTRY ALSO PLANS TO ESTABLISH ITS LARGEST MILITARY HUB IN JASK, A STRATEGIC LOCATION NEAR THE GULF OF OMAN.

IRAN SAYS IT EXPANDED ITS NAVAL REACH IN RECENT YEARS TO SECURE SHIPPING LANES AND PROTECT ITS INTERESTS. IN 2023, ITS NAVY COMPLETED A NATIONAL RECORD-BREAKING MISSION, COVERING NEARLY 40-THOUSAND MILES INCLUDING A PASSAGE THROUGH THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS.

ZAGROS ALSO ENTERS SERVICE AMID GROWING INTERNATIONAL SCRUTINY OF IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM. THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY CONFIRMED IRAN’S URANIUM ENRICHMENT LEVELS REACHED 60-PERCENT, NEARING WEAPONS-GRADE LEVELS.

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