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Iran announces establishment of Basij voluntary naval force

According to the commander, the unit has already recruited 55,000 members and has 33,000 small vessels that are equipped with 107mm missiles

DUBAI, December 20. /TASS/. Iran has established a voluntary Basij naval force, said Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri.

"Guided by past experience in conducting maritime operations to free ships seized by pirates, we have concluded that it is necessary to establish a separate Basij unit to carry out maritime missions," Tangsiri was quoted as saying by Iran's Tasnim news agency.

According to the commander, the unit has already recruited 55,000 members and has 33,000 small vessels that are equipped with 107mm missiles.

"At first, it will operate in the Persian Gulf, but there are also plans to establish such a unit [for missions] in the Caspian Sea," Tangsiri said.

The Basij militia is a volunteer paramilitary organization whose members oversee compliance with law and religious rules. The militia is part of the IRGC.

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