Iran says it has deployed small submarines to act as “invisible guardians” of the Strait of Hormuz amid a series of rejected peace deals between Tehran and the United States.
The deployment announcement comes as analysts say that while Iran’s Ghadir-class midget submarines could threaten the U.S. Navy, the ships’ limited range, firepower and endurance would undermine any real strategic impact.
The submarine deployment was highlighted by Bloomberg and first reported by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
According to Iranian state media, Iranian Navy Commander Major General Shahram Irani said that the Iranian military has deployed light submarines known as “Persian Gulf Dolphins”.
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Iran claims to deploy small submarines to act as “invisible guardians” of the Strait of Hormuz.
(Getty Images)
According to Reuters, Tehran is seeking to tighten control of the strait, which it currently defines as a larger area.
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“There’s a limited amount of time, maybe a few days at the most,” defense analyst Tom Shugart told Fox News Digital of the Iranian ship deployment.
The retired U.S. Navy submarine warfare officer also said small diesel-electric submarines face fundamental operational limitations.
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The USS New Orleans (LPD 18) is on alert in the Arabian Sea during a naval blockade against Iran.
“If they were running a diesel engine to dive and recharge their batteries, that would create a sound that could be detected,” Shugart said.
“Radars on patrol planes or helicopters can detect their snorkel masts sticking out of the water,” Shugart added.
The submarines are said to be designed for shallow waters such as the Strait of Hormuz and can operate quietly for limited periods of time on battery power.
“While they may be able to stay underwater for a while and run quietly on batteries for a while, they don’t have an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system like more modern diesel-electric submarines,” Shugart said, before adding, “Eventually they will have to surface and snorkel. This will make them easier to detect and destroy.”
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A naval ship sails in the Strait of Hormuz.
It is said that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy is the sole operator of this class of submarines, and all submarines are in service with the Southern Fleet.
“Any remaining Gadir, if present and actually deployed, may be able to lay mines and threaten commercial shipping,” Shugart warned.
“But I don’t think they pose a serious threat to U.S. Navy warships and certainly not to U.S. submarines,” he said.
“But I can definitely say that I don’t want to go out in the current climate.”
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The U.S. Navy confirmed on May 10 that a U.S. Navy Ohio-class nuclear submarine had arrived in Gibraltar.
“This port visit demonstrates America’s capabilities, flexibility and continued commitment to its NATO allies,” U.S. Sixth Fleet Public Affairs said in a statement.
“The Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine is an undetectable launch platform for submarine-launched ballistic missiles, providing the United States with the most survivable link in the nuclear triad,” the statement added.
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Shugart’s comments, meanwhile, come as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, with commercial tanker traffic largely cut off due to ongoing military activity and an ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
The United Arab Emirates and South Korea reported new attacks on stranded ships on Wednesday, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps increased fast attack craft activity.
president Donald Trump Insisting that the Iranian navy has been “completely eliminated.”
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Original source of the article: Iran says its small submarines are deployed in the Strait of Hormuz. Experts explain the threat: “Easy to be discovered.”
