Iran launches home-built destroyer in Caspian Sea March 17, 2013 - 17:05 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran on Sunday, March 17 launched its domestically built destroyer in the Caspian Sea, the nation's first heavy military presence in the oil-rich sea, state TV reported, according to The Associated Press. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad inaugurated the guided-missile destroyer Jamaran-2 in the port city of Anzali, about 250 kilometers northwest of Tehran. After final tests, the report said, Jamaran-2 will join Iran's naval fleet in the sea in coming months. The 1,400-ton destroyer, which has a helicopter landing pad, is 94 meters long and can cruise at 30 knots. It is equipped to surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles as well as anti-aircraft batteries and sophisticated radar and communications terminals, the report said. Iran launched a previous version of the Jamaran destroyer in 2010 in the Persian Gulf. Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan that surround the Caspian have not reached an agreement on exploitation of its resources. Iran supports equally sharing the sea, but the other four countries have reached agreements on exploiting the resources through mutual pacts, putting Iran's share at about 12 percent of the resources of the sea. Since 1992, Iran has been building a self-sufficient military, reportedly producing its own jet fighters, military tanks, missiles and light submarines as well as torpedoes. Partner news  Top stories Among its provisions are bans on child marriage and the traditional practice of selling and buying women to settle disputes. Jorge Rafael Videla, an austere former army commander, led Argentina during the bloodiest days of its Dirty War dictatorship. According to the United Nations, April was Iraq's bloodiest month for almost five years, with 712 people killed. Reports suggest the rebel fighters may have tried to blow up the walls of the prison, which holds some 4,000 inmates.   Partner news |  Latest news John Lennon’s guitar auctioned for $408,000  The custom-made instrument, built in 1966 by the VOX company, was bought by an unidentified U.S. buyer in New York.Benicio del Toro’s “Jimmy P” debuts in Cannes main competition The film is telling of the relationship between a troubled native American vet and his equally idiosyncratic therapist.Weinstein’s RADiUS nabs cult helmer’s "Blue Ruin" at Cannes The story centers on a man who finds his quiet life upended by unwelcome news and sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of revenge.UN chief: conference Syrian settlement to take place “very soon” The conference would be a follow-up to last year’s international meeting in Geneva that drafted a peace roadmap for Syria. |
