Bloomberg
By Ladane Nasseri
Iran announced in 2008 that it had started building submarines to give its military “the most advanced arms” and maintain “security” in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Defense Ministry inaugurated the production line for the Qaem submarines two years ago, saying the vessels would have the capacity to launch torpedoes and subsurface missiles.
Iranian authorities have hailed recent military advances as proof that it remains technologically self-sufficient even under four sets of United Nations sanctions over the country’s refusal to scale back its nuclear program.
The U.S. and Israel, a state that the Iranian establishment doesn’t recognize, haven’t ruled out military strikes to curb Iran’s nuclear development. Iran rejects claims by the U.S. and many of its allies that the program may be aimed at building weapons, and says the technology is needed for civilian purposes.
