TEHRAN - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has unveiled a "state-of-the-art" domestically produced submarine, which the defence ministry said is capable of firing cruise missiles.
Rouhani is in the southern province of Hormozgan on Sunday to introduce the latest addition of the naval fleet.
Dubbed the Fateh, or Conqueror, it is the country's first semi-heavy submarine, according to Mehr news agency.
In his speech to thousands of supporters at the port city of Bandar Lengeh before the submarine launch, Rouhani warned against the division in the country, saying that is the goal of Iran's enemies.
"We will not bow down to the hegemonic power. We are ready to sacrifice ourselves and spill our blood to protect Iran," he said.
Mehr news reported that the 600-tonne submarine launched on Sunday is equipped with torpedoes and naval mines, and can operate more than 200m below sea level for up to five weeks.
Tasnim news agency added that the Fateh is also outfitted with a guided-missile system capable of launching submarine-launched cruise missiles and an advanced sonic radar system that can identify enemy vessels.
"The Fateh is entirely a homegrown submarine that is designed and developed by experts of the defence ministry and is equipped with the world's modern technologies," Brigadier General Amir Hatami, the defence minister, was quoted by Tasnim on Saturday as saying.
The Fateh is the latest addition to Iran's fleet of submarines, which was first launched about 20 years ago.
Hossein Dalirian, a defence reporter for Tasnim news agency, noted in a social media post that the latest submarine is one of the most important projects Iran's military have undertaken in the last 40 years.
Another Tehran-based security analyst, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the topic, noted that the submarine's vertical launching system.(FA)