TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy has established a popular unit consisting of voluntary local sailors that can carry out operations in oceans with their vessels armed with rockets, a top commander said. Addressing a conference on Tuesday, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said the naval Basij (mobilization forces) for ocean missions has been organized after the successful experience of the IRGC Navy in forming the maritime Basij in the Persian Gulf. He said the maritime Basij in the Persian Gulf includes 55,000 voluntary forces with 33,000 vessels, noting that its second phase will be established in the Caspian Sea. Lauding the bravery of the mobilization forces, the commander said when the Somalian pirates hijacked a launch of the maritime Basij, the voluntary forces took action single-handedly, arrested nine pirates courageously, and handed them over to the military units. The naval Basij for ocean missions involves large boats and la...
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement Seyed Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met in Beirut on Thursday for talks on the latest regional developments. The top Iranian diplomat and the Hezbollah chief exchanged views on regional issues, with a particular focus on Palestine and Lebanon, according to Iran's Ambassador to Beirut, Mojtaba Amani. Amani stated that Amirabdollahian and Nasrallah also discussed potential future events in the region, efforts to halt Israel's atrocities against Gaza, possible scenarios regarding the ongoing war, and the global collective responsibility concerning "the historic and determining development." On Wednesday, Amirabdollahian engaged in talks with Ziad al-Nakhala, Secretary General of the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad movement, Khalil al-Hayya, deputy chief of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in Gaza, and other o...