Iranian Navy Task Force Begins 2025 Patrols in Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean

Iran's 100th Naval Task Force Sets Out for Key Waterways

Early in 2025, Iran's Navy sent out its 100th combat and operational task force, featuring the support ships Bushehr and Lavan, straight to some of the world’s busiest, most volatile sea routes: the Gulf of Aden and the northern Indian Ocean. This region, long plagued by piracy and tensions between various powers, is now seeing a fresh show of Iranian maritime presence.

This task force isn’t just about flexing military muscle. Their orders go beyond patrols and readiness for a fight. They’re tasked with keeping trade flowing safely by deterring piracy, offering help to distressed merchant vessels, and acting as an ever-present security force for shipping lanes that carry vital oil and goods to global markets. Iran has been running similar missions since 2008, and each deployment is a reminder of Tehran’s ambition to play a leading role in the area’s safety.

Stepping Up Security and International Engagement

Rear Admiral Hamzeh Ali Kaviani, Deputy Navy Commander, sent off the team at a ceremony that aimed to highlight discipline and commitment. This wasn’t just an Iranian show—the Navy openly states that their operations focus on international cooperation. While the West often views Iran’s naval actions with suspicion, Iranian leaders claim they’re plugging a gap left by what they see as unreliable foreign patrols.

The task force is ready for a range of duties. Besides anti-piracy operations, they hold training sessions, visit allied ports, and escort commercial convoys if they’re asked. These activities aren’t just for security—they’re also diplomatic tools, helping Iran build ties with neighboring and friendly nations who rely on maritime security in these unpredictable waters.

• Stopping pirate attacks and escorting merchant ships, especially in the hotspot between Yemen and Somalia
• Providing search and rescue when commercial ships or crews get into trouble
• Conducting joint drills with allies and hosting port calls to strengthen political ties

Since 2008, Iranian naval forces claim they’ve helped protect hundreds of ships, rescuing both Iranian and foreign vessels from pirates or mechanical failure. These missions aren’t just headlines—for Iranian officials, they prove the Navy is tough enough to tackle maritime challenges on their own terms, without foreign help.

This latest deployment isn’t just routine for Iran. With ships flying its flag patrolling such crucial waters, Tehran wants the world to see that it’s not backing down or leaving regional security to outside forces.