Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:58
IRGC Commander: Iran Enjoys Hidden Military Capabilities for Rainy Day
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13931206001323

TEHRAN (FNA)- IRGC Lieutenant Commander Brigadier General Hossein Salami
revealed on Wednesday that Iran has covert military capabilities that have
been kept for wartime.

Speaking on the sidelines of the IRGC Navy's massive wargames, codenamed
Payambar-e Azam 9 (The Great Prophet 9), in the Persian Gulf and the Strait
of Hormuz, Salami underlined, "Today, a part of the IRGC Navy's capabilities
which could be revealed were displayed; we have capabilities which will
remain covert and hidden before being used in action and we will merely use
them in the battlefield."

He stressed that the IRGC Navy's coast-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles, sea
mines and aerospace capabilities are not confined to their operational range
and can be enhanced for different missions depending on enemies'
capabilities.

The IRGC Navy started massive wargames, codenamed Payambar-e Azam 9 (The
Great Prophet 9), in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.

During the wargames, a mock US aircraft carrier was destroyed by the IRGC
missiles.

The model was built in real size and was attacked and destroyed by missiles
and rockets fire from tens of IRGC speedboats.

Also a number of the IRGC cruise and two ballistic missiles were fired at
the mock US aircraft carrier.

Also during the wargames, a mobile naval target was destroyed by Fateh 110
and Zelzal missiles on a deserted island 270km away from the wargames zone.

The IRGC also fired its high precision capability missiles at a carrier
during the Payambar-e Azam 9 wargames.

During the first moments of the second stage of the drills, enemy drones
were also hit and destroyed by Misaq shoulder-launched missiles and
artilleries mounted on 100 IRGC's speedboats.

Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of the wargames, IRGC Navy
Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi announced that the Ghadir cruise missile
with a range of 300km will be delivered to the IRGC Navy in the wargames.

"Our missiles will reach the Southernmost regional waters and we can hit
mobile targets from offshore waters to the North of the Persian Gulf," he
added.

The massive exercises started after IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad
Ali Jafari issued the order and in the presence of other high-ranking
Iranian officials and military commanders, including Parliament Speaker Ali
Larijani, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General
Gholam Ali Rashid, Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General
Amir Ali Hajizadeh, Brigadier General Salami, Commander of the IRGC Ground
Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed
Forces Brigadier General Baqeri and Rear Admiral Fadavi.

Different IRGC Navy vessels are being used in the exercises staged in the
Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Tens of IRGC vessels started high-speed mine-laying operations in a short
period of time to get ready for critical situations in times of possible
threats.

Fadavi described Iran's "mine-laying" capability as "the most important
concern of the Americans", and said, "We have the most advanced sea mines
which cannot be imagined by the Americans."

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and
attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and
systems.

Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms
programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to
any other country.

Iran's naval power has even been acknowledged by foes. In a Sep. 11, 2008
report, the Washington Institute for the Near East Policy said that in the
two decades since the Iraqi imposed war on Iran, the Islamic Republic has
excelled in naval capabilities and is able to wage unique asymmetric warfare
against larger naval forces.

According to the report, Iran's Navy has been transformed into a highly
motivated, well-equipped, and well-financed force and is effectively in
control of the world's oil lifeline, the Strait of Hormuz.

Since November 2008, the Iranian Navy has also conducted anti-piracy
missions in the Gulf of Aden and Bab el-Mendeb Strait to protect the
country's cargo ships and oil tankers against pirates.