Iranian navy unveils first signals intelligence ship
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — Iranian Navy exercise in 2011. (Photo by Mohammad Sadegh Heydari via Wikimedia Commons)
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's navy received its first signals intelligence ship on Wednesday, semi-official Tasnim news organisation reported, a few days after the country's army took delivery of 1,000 new drones.
The Zagros is a new category of military vessel equipped with electronic sensors and the ability to intercept cyber-operations and conduct intelligence monitoring, Tasnim said.
"The Zagros signals intelligence ship will be the watchful eye of Iran's navy in the seas and oceans," Navy Commander Shahram Irani said.
Earlier this month, Iran started two-month-long military exercises which have already included war games in which the elite Revolutionary Guards defended key nuclear installations in Natanz against mock attacks by missiles and drones.
The military drills and procurement come at a time of high tensions with arch-enemy Israel and the United States under incoming U.S. president Donald Trump.
In October, the spokesperson of Iran's government said the country plans to raise its military budget by around 200% to face growing threats.
(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Michael Perry)
