Western headlines over the weekend suggested Iran had ditched plans to dispatch warships to the Atlantic close to American territorial waters but they largely failed to mention the cancellation was only temporary. The Tehran Times righted that ‘wrong‘ on April 14, as part of the country’s ongoing propaganda war both for overseas and domestic consumption.
“Considering the situation in the region, such changes may happen in the plans of naval fleets of warships,” Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said.
In addition, Sayyari said that the 30th fleet of warships, comprised of the Alvand destroyer and the Bushehr logistic warship, which will be sent to the open seas in the near future, is likely to sail to the Atlantic Ocean.
For Iranian officials, talking up military achievements is de rigueur. Despite skepticism in Western capitals and among the international intelligence community, Iran’s generals frequently announce the introduction of new weaponry or major technological breakthroughs.
When Tehran announced it was sending two warships towards the United States in February, the media and experts were quick to play down the significance of the potential threat.
Tehran has repeatedly made exaggerated boasts about its military prowess, both as a deterrent to foreign enemies as well as for domestic propaganda purposes.
That having been said, in other spheres such as Iran’s nuclear-weapons and missile-development programs, the West is largely united in its belief that Iran is creating a deadly force, with the only real debate as to whether Tehran would be prepared to use its close-to-completed nuclear capabilities.