The navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has for the first time carried out a long-distance mission with its Shahid Mahdavi ocean liner crossing Earth's equator and entering the southern hemisphere, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported on Saturday.

Equipped with long-range ballistic and cruise missiles, the warship is engaged in a mission within international waters.

Named in honor of the IRGC's late naval commander Nader Mahdavi, the oceangoing warship is currently undertaking its first long-range navigation mission, given the interval and the nature of the task.

According to Tasnim, the Shahid Mahdavi warship officially joined the IRGC's Navy fleet in March 2023 and has been deployed to the Gulf of Aden in recent months.

This multi-purpose heavy warship is designed for long-range operations and enjoys dimensions of over 2,100 tonnes, with a length of 240 meters and a width of 27 meters.

It is equipped with advanced features, including a 3-dimensional phased array radar, sea-to-sea and sea-to-air missiles, and sophisticated communication systems for electronic warfare. Additionally, it has the capability to accommodate various types of helicopters, drones, and speedboats, the news agency highlighted.

In mid-February, the IRGC confirmed that it successfully launched long-range ballistic missiles from the warship for the first time.

The launch from the Shahid Mahdavi during naval maneuvers involved firing two ballistic missiles capable of striking targets up to 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) away.

"The IRGC for the first time has fired ballistic missiles in the Gulf of Oman," state television reported.

11 months ago I guessed that Shahid Mahdavi kept its original container ship deck to carry containerised missiles/other weapons.

Today: video of it test-launching two 1000km Dezful ballistic missiles from shipping container-style launchers, at targets in Iran's central desert. https://t.co/V5km0gPEXJ pic.twitter.com/bw4Bj3mNzj

— Aᴍɪʀ (@AmirIGM) February 13, 2024

IRGC Commander Major General Hossein Salami emphasized that the recent achievement has significantly expanded the IRGC's influence and naval capabilities to cover any desired location across the globe.

"Our ocean-going warships can be present in every location across the world, and when we can fire missiles from them, there is accordingly no safe spot for a power intending to create insecurity for us," he stressed, as quoted by Tasnim.

It is noteworthy that back in November 2020, the IRGC Navy revealed its intentions to deploy a flotilla of military vessels, including its inaugural ocean-going warship, to the northern regions of the Indian Ocean.