Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the launch of the Marine Power maneuver, with the participation of military units belonging to the Second Naval base and the Mobilization Forces of the IRGC off the port of Delvar in Bushehr Governorate.

The Deputy Commander of the Second Region of the IRGC Navy pointed out in a statement during the launching ceremony that the naval maneuver aims to memorialize the memory of the martyrs of the resistance against colonialism in Iran. 

The Deputy Commander also stressed that the naval maneuver carries a message of peace and security to neighboring countries, yet underlined that the maneuver projects a warning to the enemies and the forces of colonialism and arrogance. It emphasizes that the Iranian response will disrupt any miscalculations or conspiracies that aim to undermine Iran's territorial integrity and security.

The military commander indicated that about 300 naval units from the popular and military forces in the Second Region of the IRGC Navy took part in the maneuver.

Iran ready to respond to threats at any level

It is noteworthy that the commander-in-chief of the IRGC, Hossein Salami, stressed on Thursday that Iran has the privilege of enough defense arms so that it is ready to respond to threats at any level.

On the occasion of Defense Industry Week, which began on August 22, Major General Hossein Salami described the development achieved in the defense field as "magnificent, authoritative, and deterrent." He added that it is in line with Iran's technological success at the global level and the disempowerment of the enemy's advances in the field of defense.

Salami stated that Iran has a wide range of diverse defense products, stressing the country's preparedness to respond to threats at any level.

IRGCN seize two US drone vessels seized in Red Sea

In the same context, Iranian state media reported on Friday that an Iranian naval flotilla briefly seized two American military unmanned research vessels in the Red Sea before releasing them.

The Iranian navy's "Jamaran destroyer encountered several American military unmanned research vessels on the international shipping route on Thursday while carrying out a counter-terrorism mission in the Red Sea," Iranian state TV said.

It added that the flotilla, "after warning an American destroyer twice, seized the two drone vessels to prevent possible accidents".

فيديو حصري حلصت عليه #إيران_بالعربية يظهر سفينة الدعم #شهيد_بازيار التابعة لبحرية الحرس الثوري الإيراني وهي تسحب سفينة أميركية من طراز Saildrone Explorer في المياه الدولية للخليج الفارسي. pic.twitter.com/KWVWF43tJi

— إيران بالعربية (@iraninarabic_ir) August 30, 2022

"After securing the passage of international shipping, the flotilla released the two vessels in a safe area," the state broadcaster continued, airing footage that shows the two US vessels being released by Iranian forces on board a ship.

US Navy claims stopping Iran's trial to seize unmanned vessel in Gulf

The Pentagon revealed on Tuesday that an Iranian ship seized an American military drone vessel in the Gulf "after a US Navy patrol boat and helicopter were deployed to the location."

The US Central Command's 5th Fleet said a support ship from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, the Shahid Baziar, was spotted towing the seven-meter (23-foot) Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel (USV) late Monday.

***BREAKING***#Iran's IRGC attempted to take a US Navy Saildrone Explorer uncrewed surface vessel (USV)

US Navy patrol boat, USS Thunderbolt (PC 12), intervened. Tow released.

Nod @ryankakiuchan pic.twitter.com/lrDdZ6RWLj

— H I Sutton (@CovertShores) August 30, 2022

US forces then sent the USS Thunderbolt coastal patrol ship and an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter.

That "resulted in the IRGCN vessel disconnecting the towing line to the USV and departing the area approximately four hours later" without further incident, the 5th Fleet said.

IRGC Navy thwarts pirate attack on Iranian merchant vessel

Separately on Thursday, Iran's Navy said the same flotilla had foiled a pirate attack on an Iranian merchant vessel in the area.

"A suspicious boat with 12 armed people on board approached the Iranian merchant ship in Bab al-Mandab" strait on Thursday, the state news agency IRNA said, citing a statement by the navy.

It said a squadron had come into confrontation with the "pirates in the Red Sea", adding that the boat "left the area" after the escort flotilla, "headed by the Jamaran destroyer... opened fire" at the vessel.

A senior Iranian navy commander said the same flotilla had thwarted an overnight attack on another vessel belonging to the Islamic republic on August 10.