Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
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The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN; Persian: نیروی دریایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران, romanized: Nirū-yē Dəryâyi-yē Ərtēš-ē Žomhūri-yē Ēslâmi-yē Irân), also referred as the Iranian Navy (abbreviated NEDAJA; Persian: نداجا), is the naval warfare service branch of Iran's regular military, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh). It is one of Iran's two maritime military branches, alongside the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). NEDAJA is charged with forming Iran's first line of defense in the Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf and abroad. It is generally considered to be a conventional green-water navy, as it mostly operates regionally, namely in the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and northwest quarter of the Indian Ocean. The Navy aims to develop blue-water capabilities: in July 2016, it announced plans to establish a presence in the Atlantic Ocean, and as of May 2021 had sent ships into the region. Iran is among the few navies to have circumnavigated the world, reportedly one of thirteen throughout history. NEDAJA shares many functions and responsibilities with the IRGC Navy, with distinctions in military strategy and equipment: In contrast to the IRGC Navy, which is equipped with small fast-attack craft, the backbone of the Artesh naval inventory consists of larger surface ships, including frigates and corvettes, and submarines. The Artesh Navy has a large fleet and ranks highly among the worlds top fleets, and was described in 2012 as maintaining "robust" capabilities by regional standards. As of 2019, the Navy had several joint exercises with Russia and China called the Marine Security Belt, which it aims to conduct annually.