Iran navy chief warns of ‘deadly retaliation’ for US sub sinking its warship in Indian Ocean

The Iranian navy chief has issued a stern warning following the sinking of the country’s warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean by a US submarine on March 4, stating that the nation's enemies will encounter “deadly retaliation” after 87 sailors were killed in the torpedo attack off the Sri Lankan coast.

“We will not forget the enemy's crime, and we will exact retribution for the blood of our martyrs,” Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, who is the commander of the Iranian conventional navy, said, referring to the sailors of the IRIS Dena, according to Iranian state broadcaster Press TV. “The enemy should know that we will punish it with deadly strikes from where it least expects,” he said. The funeral procession for the Dena martyrs would be held on Tuesday evening, and they would be laid to rest the following day, according to authorities.




The official social media profiles of Iran's security chief Ali Larijani posted a handwritten note on Tuesday, shortly after Israel said it had killed him. “The martyrdom of the brave men of the Navy of the Army of the Islamic Republic aboard the Dena is part of the sacrifices of the valiant nation that has emerged at this juncture of struggle against international oppressors,” said Larijani's note, which was written in black ink.

On March 4, IRIS Dena was attacked by a US submarine-launched MK-48 torpedo approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast of Galle in Sri Lanka, while it was in international waters after participating in a multinational naval exercise MILAN in India. A total of 104 crew members died in the US submarine attack, with 87 bodies recovered and 32 sailors rescued, according to reports. US war secretary Pete Hegseth had then confirmed the strike, describing it as the first sinking of a ship by torpedo since WWII.

Rear Admiral Irani said the nation was grieved by the tragedy. “Although today we mourn our loved ones, by the grace of God, we have brought the enemy to its knees,” he declared. The navy chief's warning signals that Iran's retaliation may extend beyond conventional battlefields, with potential operations targeting enemy assets in unexpected theaters, according to Press TV.