18 Jul in 10:07 Business Insider In June, two important events vaulted Iran's navy into international headlines. The first was the sinking of the IRIS Kharg in the Persian Gulf on June 2. Kharg, a British-built Ol-class replenishment tanker, was the Iranian navy's flagship and one of its most important vessels. As Business Insider writes, the second important development was the rounding of the Cape of Good Hope by two Iranian warships, the seabase ship IRINS Makran and the frigate IRIS Sahand, on June 4. Makran, a converted oil tanker, is Iran's largest vessel, while Sahand is one of its newest and most advanced warships. They are the first Iranian naval vessels to sail into the Atlantic, a long-sought achievement. These are the latest signs of progress for Iran's navy, which has been modernizing with the goal of being able to operate across oceans. Now, 33 years after a devastating defeat by the US, that navy is showing what it can do.