Iran’s newest warship sinks in “accident”

Iran has lost one of its newest indigenous warships when it capsized in an “accident” at its home port, the country’s state media reported on Sunday.

The Moudge-class frigate of the Iranian Navy Sahand was in a dock in Bandar Abbas on Iran’s southern coast for repairs at the time of the incident, the Islamic Republic’s state news agency reported, citing a military statement.

A water leak caused the warship to “lose its balance,” the Iranian military said. Photos distributed by state media showed the Sahand overturned and partially sank between several ships moored nearby.

Iranian state media reported that the ship was being righted after the accident. Several people suffered minor injuries and were treated in hospital, the report said.

It is still unclear when exactly the incident occurred. The Iranian Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a Newsweek Email requesting a comment.

Bandar Abbas is a port overlooking the strategically important Persian Gulf and the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where the United States and its allies have stationed warships to ensure the security of important shipping routes.

The Iranian navy had previously hijacked tankers in the region, leading to tensions with the West.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy has established its southern forward naval headquarters in Bandar Abbas, which is also home to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval headquarters, according to U.S. Navy Naval Intelligence.

Maritime security analyst HI Sutton wrote on Sunday that the Sahand Due to upgrades, the ship may have had a higher center of gravity, which may have affected its balance. The warship was equipped with a new radar, surface-to-air missiles, and more anti-ship missiles.

Sutton said the most likely causes of the incident were poor maintenance or a docking accident. However, he could not rule out the possibility that the 2,000 to 2,500 ton warship was the victim of sabotage.

Salman Zarbi, the head of Iran’s shipbuilding and offshore industrial complex, told the state news agency Fars that it might be possible to Sahand put back into operation.

The frigate has already been deployed outside Iranian territorial waters. According to IRNA, it was sent last year to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden and protect shipping lanes in the Red Sea.

Another Iranian frigate, the Alvand class Alborzwhich have also been deployed in the Red Sea this year, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported in January. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels began their attacks on the crucial waterway after the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas last October.

The United States and some European countries have deployed naval forces to protect commercial shipping from Houthis attacks. The US Navy aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Rooseveltwhose deployment was ordered from the Western Pacific, is currently en route to the Middle East.