Velayat-91 Iran Navy and Marine exercise (4)

By Mark Pyruz

Nasr AShM fired from Parvin class coastal patrol craft

Nasr AShM scores hit against target vessel

IRINS Jamaran (76) Moudge class frigate

IRINS Larak (512) Hengam class landing ship

with Agusta AS-61 A-4 (Sikorsky SH-3D) Sea King transport helicopter

Yunes class diesel-electric submarine at sea

OTO Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun fired from possibly IRINS Naghdi (82)

Ghadir midget submarine at sea

Photos: IRINN

Iran TV stills by M-ATF @IMF

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May 2013 be a year of peace and tranquility in the world! May we avoid military conflicts and resolve differences peacefully!

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Iran Tests Ra’ad Air Defense System During Naval Drills

Iran's navy said today it test-fired a range of weapons during ongoing “Valayat 91” maneuvers near the Strait of Hormuz. Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Rastgari said the Iranian-made air defense system Ra’ad (“Thunder”) was among the weapons tested, along with various torpedoes and underwater and surface-to-surface rockets as well as anti-ship missiles. (IRNA, 31 December)

The Raad system was on show during a military parade in Tehran in September for the first time. It is reportedly designed to confront fighter jets, cruise missiles, smart bombs, helicopters and drones. Iran said the system fires missiles with a range of 30 miles, capable of hitting targets at 75,000 feet.

The “Valayat 91” naval drills began on Friday and ends on Wednesday. To view related photos, please click here, here and here.

Photo credit: A Ra’ad (“Thunder”) air defense system with Taer-2 missiles displayed during a military parade in Tehran. 21 September 2012. (IRNA/AP)

Velayat-91 Iran Navy and Marine exercise (3)

By Mark Pyruz

Safir 1/4 ton tactical vehicles equipped with 107 mm twelve barrels rocket launchers

107 mm rocket launchers in action

Truck mounted ZU-23-2 23 mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon

D-30 (HM 40) 122 mm howitzer

81 mm infantry mortar in action

Marines equipped with G3A4 battle rifles

ZU-23-2 23 mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon in action

Agusta AS-61 A-4 (Sikorsky SH-3D) Sea King transport helicopter

Marines disembark from BH.7 Mk.5A Wellington class hovercraft

Marines disembark from SR.N6 Winchester class hovercraft

Sikorsky RH-53D Sea Stallion (S-65A)

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency, Azin Haghighi at Jamejam Obline and Masood Nazari

Mousavi's wife allowed to visit dead father

By: Jabbar Fazeli, MD

The green movement news site, Kaleme (3), reported today that Sadegh Kazemi, the father of Zahra Rahnavard died of pneumonia in a Tehran hospital this morning. 

Mr. Kazemi was 93 years old and suffered from Alzheimer's disease.  According to Kaleme, Rahnavard was allowed a 15 minute visit to the hospital, under guard, after her father's death. The less reliable Fars news reported that she was at bedside when her father died (4).

Zahra Rahnavard is Mr. Mousavi's wife and holds a masters degree in arts, a Ph.D. in political science, and was an adviser to former President Mohammad Khatami. She was the first president of the al-Zahra Women's College in Tehran, a writer, and women rights activists, advocating the elimination of the "morality police" and an end to the  discrimination against women in Iran. Not sure how far her views on women freedoms go given that she is also the author of essays titled  "The Beauty of the Veil, and the Veil of Beauty" and " The Colonial Motives for the Unveiling of Women" (1,2). 

The Rahnavard and Mousavi families received open condolence letters from various organizations and political figures, but the likely "reformist" candidates for president (Khatami and Rafsanjani) have not done so yet. Ayatollah Sanei and the Beheshti family were the top names to issue condolence letters (5).

Photo credit: wn.com

References:

(1)https://www.facebook.com/zrahnavard/info

(2)http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/05/iran-zahra-rahnavard-presidential-election

(3)http://www.kaleme.com/1391/10/10/klm-126730/

(4)http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=13911009001074

(5)http://www.rahesabz.net/story/64100/

Velayat-91 Iran Navy and Marine exercise (2)

By Mark Pyruz

Six Agusta AS-61 A-4 (Sikorsky SH-3D) Sea King transport helicopters

Fokker F-27-400M Troopship transport aircraft

Sikorsky RH-53D Sea Stallion (S-65A) with two Agusta AB-212ASW helicopters

Agusta AS-61 A-4 (Sikorsky SH-3D) Sea King transport helicopters

Lineup of IRIN aviation participating in Velayat-91

Motorized Marines boarding a Sikorsky RH-53D Sea Stallion (1)

Motorized Marines boarding a Sikorsky RH-53D Sea Stallion (2)

Iran Navy naval aviators

Marines boarding Agusta AB-212ASW medium helicopter

Elite naval commando frogmen of the Iran Navy

Combat ATV borne Iran Marines disembark from RH-53D heavy-lift cargo helicopter

Motorized Iran Marines (1)

Motorized Iran Marines (2)

Iran Marine petty officer 1st class

Note ACU style BDUs and MP5 type (MPT-9) SMG

Sepher 3/4 ton transport trucks 

Safir 1/4 ton tactical vehicles with an array of different armament

Vehicle transport borne Iran Marines

Photos: JameJam Online and Islamic Republic News Agency

Velayat-91 Iran Navy and Marine exercise (1)

By Mark Pyruz

Kilo class (Yunes class) Project 877EKM diesel-electric submarines

IRINS Yunes (903), IRINS Tareq (901) and IRINS Nooh (902)

Yunes class diesel-electric submarine, frontal section

Yunes class diesel-electric submarine, side section

IRIN Commander Sayyari aboard Yunes class submarine

Ghadir class midget sumarines

Ghadir class midget submarine variants

BH.7 Mk.5A Wellington class and SR.N6 Winchester class hovercraft

BH.7 Mk.5A Wellington class hovercraft

IRINS Admiral Naghdi (82) Bayandor class (ex-PF 104) large patrol corvette

with two IRIN frigates (file photo)

Alvand (Saam) class (Vosper Mk5 type) frigate (file photo)

IRINS Alborz (72), IRINS Sabalan (73) and IRINS Alvand (71)

4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun armament of Alvand class frigate

Photos: AJA, IRINN and Islamic Republic News Agency