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Iranian navy commissions new base and intelligence ship

By Jeremy Binnie |

The IRIN's new intelligence ship Zagros. (Student News Network)

The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) announced the completion of two of its long-running projects on 15 and 16 January, when it commissioned the intelligence ship Zagros (313) and a new base at Jask on the Gulf of Oman. The construction of both began more than 10 years ago.

Media coverage of the Zagros commissioning ceremony showed it took place at the naval base in Konarak, which is the headquarters of the IRIN's 3rd Naval Region. The unarmed vessel is fitted with three large sensor domes and four smaller ones on its superstructure, with additional antennas mounted on its main mast and a smaller one located above the hangar that serves its helicopter deck.

It also has an afterdeck, where an inflatable dinghy was seen, although this does not have a crane or davits for launching boats or underwater vehicles.

Iranian officials gave the impression it is primarily a signals intelligence ship that has a dedicated signals analysis laboratory that uses artificial intelligence software. “The Zagros signals intelligence ship will be the watchful and seeing eye of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy in the depths of the seas and oceans,” IRIN commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani was quoted as saying.

Video footage was released, showing the vessel being assembled from sections in a dry dock at the IRIN's main base at Bandar Abbas. Satellite imagery shows this work began in May–June 2024. The ship's hull, which appears to be a slightly shorter version of the one used for the IRIN's Jamaran-class frigates, was floated out of the dry dock in July–August 2015, after which little observable progress was made until it returned to the dry dock in mid-2022.

Jask base

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