The strong military presence of the USA in the Red Sea has consequences: Now Iran is also sending its warship “Alborz” to the region – that brings back memories.
Tehran – The situation in the Red Sea is becoming more and more a saber rattling among the major powers. Shortly before the turn of the year there was a direct escalation between the US military and the Yemeni Houthi rebels. The US Navy rushed to the aid of a Danish container ship that was attacked by the Houthis. The security team on board returned fire, whereupon US forces intervened and were themselves attacked, ultimately killing several rebels.
A rebel spokesman said in a televised address on Sunday that the “US enemy is bearing the consequences of this crime.” A consequence for the Red Sea is already visible: the Houthi ally Iran sent its warship “Alborz” to the region.
Iran's military in the Red Sea: warship “Alborz” is more than 55 years old
According to a report by the Iranian news agency Tasnim, the “Alborz” has successfully crossed the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Although the report did not provide specific reasons for the transit, it noted that Iranian military vessels have been operating in the region since 2009 to “secure shipping routes” and counter pirate attacks.
| Warship: | Alborz |
| Builder: | Vickers Limited (UK) |
| In service position: | March 4, 1969 |
| Home port: | Bandar Abbas (Iran) |
| Class: | Alvand class |
The Iranian warship looks back on an eventful past. Originally named “Zaal”, it entered service more than 55 years ago, in March 1969. This makes it seem almost out of date today – especially when you look at the US's ultra-modern warships. The warship USS Carney has decisive advantages in combat thanks to modern weaponry. The warship USS Mason surprises opponents with Star Wars cannons. The armament includes anti-ship missiles, artillery and machine guns.
Iran's warship “Alborz” in the Red Sea: USA sank the sister ship in Operation “Praying Mantis”
Tehran's Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani emphasized about Iran's new maneuvers in the Red Sea: “No one can take a step in a region where we have dominance.” This probably also refers to the movements of the US ships, which have been the case for weeks Protect container freighters from attacks by Houthi rebels. A military conflict with the USA does not seem to be out of the question – this is also shown by a look at the past.
During the so-called Operation Praying Mantis in 1988 There were skirmishes between the USA and Iran in the Gulf region. US forces attacked Iranian territorial waters in retaliation for the planting of mines in international waters. As a result, a sister ship of the “Alborz” even sank when the guided missile destroyer USS Joseph Strauss responded to an attack.
Iran's “Alborz” is sent to the Red Sea: ships built in Great Britain
Like the “Alborz”, the “Sahand” also belonged to the Alvand class, which were designed in Great Britain for Iran in the late 1960s. It was built by the British arms company Vickers Limited. The main tasks of these ships were anti-submarine warfare and combat against surface ships. The original armament of the Alvand class consisted of five Sea Killer anti-ship missiles, Seacat anti-aircraft missiles, a depth charge launcher and various barrel weapons. Iran developed the more modern Mouj class based on the Alvand class.
Maneuvers of the Iranian warship “Alborz” in the Red Sea: Oil prices rise
The tensions in the Red Sea also have consequences for the price of oil. The renewed Iranian presence led to uncertainty and price increases on the oil market: a barrel (159 liters) of North Sea Brent, for delivery in March, was trading at $78.55 on Tuesday morning. This represented an increase of $1.51 compared to Friday. The price of a barrel of American West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in February increased by $1.26 to $72.91.
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