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This is the second clip the Islamic regime has released of its arsenal ahead of Trump's inaugaration.
By DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD JANUARY 19, 2025 08:26
An anti-Israel billboard is seen next to the Iranian flag during a celebration following the IRGC attack on Israel, in Tehran, Iran, April 15, 2024.
(photo credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA/via Reuters)
Footage claiming to show a secret Iranian underground naval base was made public by Tehran’s state television on Saturday - the second video the Islamic Republic has released of its arsenal ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.
The footage was reportedly taken at the site located some 500m below an undisclosed location in the Gulf. Tehran claimed the speedboats filmed were a new generation Taregh-class radar-evading speedboats - capable of launching cruise missiles.
WATCH: Iran's IRGC Navy unveils underground base housing combat boats specialized in targeting US warshipsFollow us on Telegram: https://t.co/B3zXG74hnU pic.twitter.com/s2B79v8jmr
— Press TV (@PressTV) January 18, 2025Revolutionary Guards chief General Hossein Salami was seen visiting the base alongside naval arm commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri in the footage.
"The massive amount (of equipment) we saw today is a small portion of the power of the revolutionary guard's naval force, developed over the past years," Gen Salami said.
The footage was released ahead of Trump’s inauguration - an event that may bring some concern to the Islamic Republic’s rulers, according to Sky News and Reuters.
Tehran's anxieties are estimated to be rising as Trump is thought more likely to enable Israel to strike Iranian nuclear bases in response to direct attacks from Iran and the regional terror groups it backs. Trump's team is also reportedly evaluating the benefits of a preemptive strike on Tehran's nuclear facilities, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing two sources familiar with the discussions.
"We assure the great nation of Iran that their young people are capable of coming out honorable and victorious from a battle on the seas against enemies big and small," Salami in the clip.
Iran's larger narrative
Last month, Iran released footage unveiling the underground weapons storage facility it used in previous attacks against Israel, which it claims holds “new special missiles.”
The earlier footage released also featured Salami, who claimed that Tehran’s “missiles are really increasing and upgrading their capacity and capabilities every day in terms of quantity, quality, skill, and design.”
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Saudi news outlet al-Arabiya noted that Tehran released the video only shortly before Donald Trump is set to return to the White House. The video was also released after Basij fighters paraded through Tehran with heavy weaponry and military vehicles - a demonstration that also saw hundreds reportedly carrying coffins decorated with Israeli flags.
During the demonstration, IRGC General Mohammadreza Naghdi told the crowds that the US was “behind all the misfortune in the Muslim world” and “if we are able to destroy the Zionist regime and withdraw the American bases in the region, one of our big problems will be resolved,” according to al Arabiya.
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