By Fariz F. Tyebjee
SEVERAL questions were raised when the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) warship 'Shahid Mahdavi' berthed at Port Klang recently.
The Iranian warship was accompanied by the navy's destroyer, ‘Dena’.
The two military vessels had undertaken an extended mission in international waters, crossing the Equator after navigating the Bay of Bengal and passing through waters off Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka.
Picture from https://wanaen.com/
Several of my acquaintances questioned why Malaysian authorities had allowed the 'Shahid Mahdavi' - belonging to a 'terrorist organisation' to berth here.
The first question here is whether the IRGC a 'terrorist organisation' as alleged by some quarters?
Not to be confused with Iran’s traditional armed forces, the IRGC is a parallel military body formed during the Islamic Revolution in 1979. It maintains its own air, land, and naval branches and protects Iran’s fundamentalist regime.
Widely considered to be a 'terrorist' organisation, the IRGC is under heavy sanctions. It saw extensive service during the eight year war with Iraq and has a presence in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, promoting and safeguarding Iranian national interests.
The IRGC is composed of ground, naval, and air forces, and includes other components -such as an internal security militia (the Basij) and an external operations force, the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF).
The IRGC-QF is one of the Iranian regime’s primary organisations responsible for conducting covert lethal activities outside of Iran, including asymmetric and terrorist operations.
Terrorist organisation?
Currently, the IRGC is designated as a terrorist organisation by Bahrain, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and the United States.
In May last year, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, during a meeting with United States Treasury officials in Kuala Lumpur informed them it would not 'kowtow' to sanctions the United States or any other country imposed on Iran or elsewhere, for terror financing or other issues.
Saifuddin said Malaysia was firm about combating terror funding. The officials were in town from Washington to discuss the issue of US - sanctioned Iran allegedly using Malaysian entities to finance militant groups.
This follows claims from US officials that Iran was relying on Malaysian service providers to sell US-sanctioned oil in the region.
Saifuddin emphasised that Malaysia will only recognise sanctions if they are imposed by the United Nations Security Council.
According to information from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), bilateral trade between Malaysia and Iran reached RM3.68 billion (USD0.84 billion) in 2022.
Iran was Malaysia’s eight largest trading partner among West Asia countries, while Malaysia was Iran’s third largest trading partner among ASEAN countries.
Who allowed the 'Shahid Mahdavi' to berth here?
So, the question here is whether the IRGC is categorised as a 'terrorist organisation by Malaysia or only by a few nations?
Also, one must understand that the decision to allow the IRGC vessel to berth in Port Klang was not an individual one and certainly not made overnight.
The two military vessels are here as part of a calculated move by the Malaysian authorities.
It is no secret that the US has been putting plenty of pressure on Malaysia, especially over its stance on the Palestine-Israel conflict.
This was made clear by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who said this follows Malaysia's refusal to condemn Hamas’ actions and brand the group as terrorists.
While the Iranian Army protects the country's sovereignty in a traditional capacity, the IRGC's constitutional mandate is to ensure the integrity of the Islamic Republic.
The IRGC's main role is to provide national security. It is responsible for internal and border security, law enforcement, and Iran's missile forces. IRGC operations are geared towards asymmetric warfare and less traditional duties.
So, as far as Malaysia is concerned, the IRGC is most welcome to berth here, and the relevant protocols and paperwork are something which would have been prepared months ago.
There is no way the 'Shahid Mahdavi,' a versatile warship equipped with long-range ballistic and cruise missiles just decided to 'drop by'.
The warship joined the IRGC fleet in March 2023 and showcases significant technological advancements, which includes a 3-dimensional phased array radar, sea-to-sea and sea-to-air missiles, and advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
The warship can also operate a variety of aircraft and watercraft.
So, in conclusion and to put all speculations to rest, the Iranian ship visited Malaysia to promote ties between the two countries. This is also in line with Malaysia's non-alignment policy and also because Malaysia has long enjoyed cordial ties with Iran - nothing more.
The writer has long had an interest in military and geo-strategic affairs and has been a contributor to a number of publications.
