Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani announced Saturday that a group of domestically built Ghadir-class midget submarines, nicknamed “Persian Gulf Dolphins,” conducted surface formation maneuvers in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. According to Irani, the submarines surfaced for the exercise before submerging again to continue their operational missions. The drill was dedicated to the memory of the "martyrs" of the Iranian destroyer Dena.
About the “Persian Gulf Dolphins”
The Ghadir-class (also known as Qadir) are small, stealthy midget submarines designed specifically for the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. Key features include:
- Ability to rest motionless on the seabed for long periods, making them difficult to detect.
- Capacity to carry mines, torpedoes, and special forces divers.
- Ideal for asymmetric warfare in confined waters.
Iran has produced and deployed dozens of these vessels over the past two decades, using them as a core element of its naval deterrence strategy in the narrow chokepoint through which roughly 20% of global oil trade passes.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has conducted multiple naval drills and mine-laying activities in recent months. The move is widely seen as a show of force, signaling Iran’s readiness to use its underwater assets to threaten shipping lanes and military vessels if provoked.
