Iran gains Mediterranean bases in Italy and Syria

As part of Iran’s drive to rule the strategic waves of regional waters, Tehran has negotiated a naval exchange deal with Rome for its warships to be berthed in Italian ports, DEBKAfile’s military sources reveal.
In this context, the US Pentagon and Navy chiefs once again urged Israel to update and enlarge its war fleet, which they said was “full of holes” to catch up with the rapidly changing conditions opposite its shores, where Russia, Iran and Egypt are building up armadas of warships that are bigger and more advanced than ever before.
The American warning to Israel was first reported by DEBKAfile Aug. 11 (Urgent Israeli Navy order for new US coastal craft), after Moscow posted its Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, and Egypt took delivery of the Anwar El Sadat, the first of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers bearing 92 choppers, purchased from France. The second, Gamal Abdel Nasser, was handed over on Sept. 16.
Israel’s naval inferiority was further underlined last week when Iran’s Navy commander, Rear-Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, went into action to carry out supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s orders to acquire naval bases in Syria and Italy for establishing a permanent Iranian fleet presence in the Mediterranean.
The admiral moved fast. The Italian Navy chief Rear-Admiral Roberto Chia Marcella visited Tehran on Sept. 5. and Saturday, Sept. 24, the first Italian frigate, Euro, docked at Bandar Abbas, home to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards command.

 

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