La dimensión marítima de Irán en la guerra asimétrica

Alberto Guerrero Martín

doi:10.22490/26655489.10477

Vol. 8 No. 15 (2026): Enero - Junio

Published 2026-01-30

license

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Los autores aceptan que la publicación de sus trabajos se hace a título gratuito y que, por lo tanto, se excluye cualquier posibilidad de retribución económica, en especie o de cualquier índole, por la publicación, distribución o cualquier otro uso que se haga de ellos. Todo el contenido de esta revista, a excepción de donde está identificado, está bajo una Licencia Creative Commons.

Artículos Producto de Investigación

Iran’s Maritime Dimension in Asymmetric Warfare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/26655489.10477

Alberto Guerrero Martín Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

PDF (Spanish)

Abstract
References

The distinctive geographical features of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz are decisive factors in shaping Iran’s naval doctrine, which is characterized by its asymmetric nature. This doctrine seeks to avoid direct confrontation with technologically superior adversaries, remaining below the threshold of open warfare. To this end, Iran relies on the combined use of swarms of armed fast boats, naval mines, antiship missiles, submarines, and drones, with the aim of overwhelming enemy defenses and imposing costs that are difficult to sustain. Within this framework, the purpose of the present study is to examine the development of gray-zone and asymmetric warfare strategies by Iran’s two navies, with particular emphasis on the naval branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose role has been central in Iran’s efforts to project itself as a regional power. This study is grounded in a qualitative methodology and adopts an inductive approach in order to examine Iran’s deterrent potential against militarily superior powers. The starting hypothesis is that Iran’s asymmetric naval doctrine constitutes an effective deterrent against technologically superior adversaries.

keywords: deterrence, gray zone, naval doctrine, Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz

Ahmed, N. (2020, 11 de octubre). Iran’s “forward defense” doctrine: Missile and space programs. International Institute for Iranian Studies. https://rasanah-iiis.org/english/centre-for-researches-and-studies/irans-forward-defense-doctrine-missile-and-space-programs/

Alster, P. y Weinberg, D. A. (2014, 8 de enero). The daunting challenge of defending Israel’s multi-billion dollar gas fields. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/01/08/the-daunting-challenge-of-defending-israels-multibillion-dollar-gas-fields/

Arasli, J. (2007, abril). Obsolete weapons, unconventional tactics, and martyrdom zeal: How Iran would apply its asymmetric naval warfare doctrine in a future conflict (Occasional Paper No. 10). George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies. https://www.marshallcenter.org/en/publications/occasional-papers/obsolete-weapons-unconventionaltactics-and-martyrdom-zeal-how-iran-would-apply-its-asymmetric-naval

Arquilla, J. y Ronfeldt, D. (2000). Swarming & the future of conflict. RAND Corporation.

Arreguín-Toft, I. (2001). How the weak win wars. International Security, 26(1), 93–128.

Bahgat, G. (2025, 28 de mayo). Naval power and deterrence: Iran’s role in regional and global maritime competition. Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale. https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/naval-power-and-deterrence-irans-role-in-regional-and-global-maritime-competition-209797

Baqués, J. (2012, 19 de enero). Submarinos en Irán. Global Strategy. https://globalstrategy.org/submarinos-en-iran/

Baqués, J. (2017). Hacia una definición del concepto “gray zone” (Documento de Investigación 2/2017). Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos.

Boussel, P. (2024, 6 de mayo). The IRGC Navy’s long-term strategy of asymmetrical warfare (Note de la FRS n.o 14/2024). Foundation for Strategic Research. https://www.frstrategie.org/en/publications/notes/irgc-navy-s-long-term-strategy-asymmetrical-warfare-2024

Buzan, B. (1991). Introducción a los estudios estratégicos. Ediciones Ejército.

Connell, M. (2010, 11 de octubre). Iran’s military doctrine. The Iran Primer, United States Institute of Peace. https://iranprimer.usip.org/resource/irans-military-doctrine

Conte, A. (2020, 23 de abril). Irán y la Jeune École. Revista Ejércitos. https://www.revistaejercitos.com/2020/04/23/iran-y-la-jeune-ecole/

Cordesman, A. H. (2007). Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the Al Quds Force, and other intelligence and paramilitary forces. Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Cordesman, A. H. y Lin, A. (2015, febrero). The Iranian sea-air-missile threat to Gulf shipping. Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Coutau-Bégarie, H. (1987). La potencia marítima (Castex). Ediciones Ejército.

Edelman, E. S. y McNamara, W. M. (2017). Contain, degrade, and defeat: A defense strategy for a troubled Middle East. Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

Edwards, S. J. A. (2000). Swarming on the battlefield: Past, present, and future. RAND Corporation.

Edwards, S. J. A. (2005). Swarming and the future of warfare. RAND Corporation.

Fulbright, A. (2017, 19 de febrero). Hezbollah said to have obtained “game-changing” anti-ship missiles. The Times of Israel. https://www.timesofisrael.com/hezbollah-said-to-have-obtained-game-changing-anti-ship-missiles/

Galula, D. (1964). Counterinsurgency warfare: Theory and practice. Praeger.

Gil, J. (2023). El puercoespín y la tortuga: La estrategia militar y diplomática de la República Islámica de Irán. En Estrategias de seguridad nacional: La competencia entre grandes potencias (Documento de Investigación 02/2023). Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos. https://cbcgufv.com/2023/11/30/estrategias-de-seguridad-nacional-la-competencia-entre-grandes-potencias/

Guerrero, A. (2021). La marina del Cuerpo de Guardias Revolucionarios Islámicos y la guerra naval asimétrica (Documento de Opinión IEEE 13/2021). Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos. https://www.ieee.es/Galerias/fichero/docs_opinion/2021/DIEEEO13_2021_ALBGUE_MarinaIran.pdf

Guerrero, A. (2023). Irán frente a Israel y Estados Unidos: Estrategias de disuasión. Revista Ejércitos. https://www.revistaejercitos.com/articulos/iran-frente-a-israel-y-estados-unidos

Guerrero, A. (2025). La evolución de la doctrina militar de Irán y sus implicaciones para la estabilidad de Oriente Medio. En A. Hernáez Montalvo (Ed.), Contexto y retos actuales de la seguridad internacional (pp. 205–227). UNED-IUGM.

Haghshenass, F. (2008). Iran’s asymmetric naval warfare (Policy Focus 87). The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/sites/default/files/pdf/PolicyFocus87.pdf

Johnson, D. y Metz, S. (2001). Asymmetry and U.S. military strategy: Definition, background and strategic concepts. U.S. Army War College.

Jordán, J. (2013). Dilemas de seguridad, disuasión y diplomacia coercitiva. En J. Jordán (Ed.), Manual de estudios estratégicos y seguridad internacional (pp. 179–205). Plaza y Valdés.

Jordán, J. (2018). Estrategias de Irán en la zona gris del conflicto: Su dimensión marítima. Revista General de Marina, 275, 723–741.

Mazarr, M. J. (2015). Mastering the gray zone: Understanding a changing era of conflict.

Strategic Studies Institute y U.S. Army War College Press. https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/2372.pdf

McInnis, M. (2017). The strategic foundations of Iran’s military doctrine. International Institute for Strategic Studies. https://www.iiss.org/globalassets/media-library---content--migration/images/comment/analysis/2017/december/2-mcinnis2125.pdf

Mearsheimer, J. (2001). The tragedy of great power politics. W. W. Norton.

Naval History and Heritage Command. (2023, 20 de septiembre). Operation Praying Mantis. https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/middle-east/praying-mantis.html

Office of Naval Intelligence. (2017, febrero). Iranian naval forces: A tale of two navies. https://www.oni.navy.mil/Portals/12/Intel%20agencies/iran/Iran%20022217SP.pdf

Pérez Triana, J. M. (2011). Irán y la guerra naval asimétrica. Revista General de Marina, 261, 87–95.

Pulido, G. (2021). Guerra multidominio y mosaico. Los Libros de la Catarata.

Rezaei, A. y Torabi, G. (2021). Iran’s naval defense strategy. Journal of Political Strategy, 4(15), 15–25.

Sánchez, S. y Colom, G. (2024). Irán e Israel y el complejo juego de la disuasión en la zona gris. Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos. https://www.defensa.gob.es/ceseden

The International Institute for Strategic Studies. (2023). The Military Balance 2023. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003400226

U.S. Department of Defense. (2010, abril). Unclassified report on military power of Iran. https://www.iranwatch.org/sites/default/files/us-dod-reportmiliarypoweriran-0410.pdf

Zenko, M. (2015, 5 de noviembre). Millennium Challenge: The real story of a corrupted military exercise and its legacy. War on the Rocks. https://warontherocks.com/2015/11/millennium-challenge-the-real-story-of-a-corrupted-military-exercise-and-its-legacy/

license

How to Cite

Guerrero Martín, A. (2026). Iran’s Maritime Dimension in Asymmetric Warfare. Análisis Jurídico Político, 8(15), 17-41. https://doi.org/10.22490/26655489.10477

Download Citation

Almétricas