Iran has reached self-sufficiency in the defense sector and can now meet its defense demands, Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari stated at today’s launching ceremony of indigenously-built submarines, the presstv.ir reports.
The ceremony was held with the aim of launching two upgraded versions of the indigenously-built Ghadir-class light submarines and two overhauled hovercrafts.
“Since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution, we have learned not to ask for help from other countries and stand on our own feet in meeting our demands,” Iran’s Navy Commander Habibollah Sayyari said on Wednesday.
“Thanks to the Islamic Revolution, Iran has acquired the know-how to build submarines. No one believed that we would reach a point where we would build destroyers capable of carrying helicopters and missiles in the Sea of Oman and oceans… because it’s a very difficult task to build destroyers and submarines,” the Commander added.
Ghadir is a class of midget submarines built by Iran specifically for cruising within the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. It is named after Ghadir Khumm, a holy place to Shia Muslims. It’s based on the North Korean Yono class submarine.
According to Commander Habibollah Sayyari the submarine is equipped with the latest military and technological equipment and its capabilities are equal to that of foreign types.
Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying to Iran’s navy commanders on the day the submarine was launched back in 2007: “Today, you have been able to design and build many of the military requirements. We have become self-sufficient from other countries.”
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, November 28, 2012; Image: USNI