Iran to deploy warships to Atlantic

Iran is to send its newest warship to the Atlantic Ocean on a five-month mission -- the navy's longest in a decade, as the Republic seeks to increase the operating range of its naval forces to the backyard of the United States, its arch-foe, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.

"The navy has had a plan to deploy a flotilla to the Atlantic Ocean for a few years and now everything seems prepared to launch the mission," said Fars news agency, which is considered close to Iran's military.

Iran sees the presence of US aircraft carriers in the Gulf as a security concern and its navy has sought to counter that by showing the flag near American waters.