Munitions

Iranian naval mines

Also known as
  • Iranian sea mines
  • IRGC naval mines
  • Sadaf-01
  • Sadaf-02
  • Sadaf II
  • M-08
  • EM-52
  • Maham naval mines

Iranian naval mines are a mixed family of contact, influence, limpet, bottom, and rising sea mines tied to Iran's Strait of Hormuz area-denial posture. Open sources describe stocks ranging from old moored contact mines such as the Sadaf/M-08 family to more difficult bottom and rising mines such as the reported Chinese EM-52, with delivery options that include IRGCN small boats, larger minelayers, submarines, helicopters, and frogmen.

Iranian naval mines, Naval mine family, Munitions
Image source: Wikimedia Iranian Limpet Mine Photo

Role in Conflicts

2026 Iran War
Area Denial
Side
Iran

During the 2026 Iran War, Iranian sea mines previously laid by the IRGC in the Strait of Hormuz prompted U.S. mine-clearance operations there in April 2026.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Iran
Type
Naval mine family
Service note
Late 20th century to present
Designer
Iranian naval ordnance engineers
Designed
Late 20th century to present
Produced
Domestic production expanded during and after the 1980 Iran-Iraq War

Specifications

Mine types
Open sources associate Iranian stocks with drifting and moored contact mines, bottom influence mines, limpet mines, and reported rocket-propelled rising mines.
Estimated inventory
DIA described Iran as having more than 5,000 naval mines; other open-source estimates cluster around roughly 2,000 to 6,000 mines.
Delivery platforms
Iran can lay mines from larger vessels, submarines, small boats, and specialist teams; DIA says many Ashoora small boats have rails for at least one mine.
Small-boat loadout
Recent reporting cited by Stimson says Iranian small craft can carry roughly two to three mines per sortie, while DIA's official minimum for Ashoora rails is at least one.
Fuzing and sensors
Documented and reported variants include contact firing and influence sensors keyed to acoustic, magnetic, pressure, or delayed activation patterns.
Named examples
Sadaf-01, Sadaf-02, M-08/Sadaf II, EM-52, and Maham/Mahan-style names appear in open sources, but public reporting is inconsistent and not every designation has official performance data.
Mine Families And Delivery

Iran's mine threat is best understood as a layered inventory rather than a single standardized weapon. Legacy contact mines can be laid cheaply in shallow approaches, bottom influence mines complicate detection and sweeping, and reported rising mines such as the EM-52 extend the threat into deeper channels.

Contact mines

Sadaf and M-08-style mines are moored weapons that detonate on contact, with the 1987-1988 Tanker War showing that old designs can still cause strategic disruption.

Influence mines

Bottom and influence mines rely on target signatures such as acoustic, magnetic, or pressure cues, making clearance slower than for simple visible moored mines.

Delivery network

DIA and ONI describe a dispersed delivery model built around larger vessels, submarines, and especially IRGCN small craft such as Ashoora boats fitted with mine rails.

Variants

Iranian mine names are uneven in open sources: some refer to legacy Soviet-pattern contact mines, some to Iranian Sadaf designations, and others to imported or suspected Chinese and Russian influence mines. The rows below keep named examples separate from broader mine classes where the public evidence is less precise.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
Sadaf-02Moored contact mine

CIA's account of Earnest Will intelligence support describes Sadaf-02 as an Iranian-made spherical contact mine with about 114 kg of explosive, distinct from a direct M-08 copy and found near Iran Ajr and later minefields.

Sources: CIA Fighting Iran

M-08 / Sadaf IILegacy moored contact mine

Specialist and academic sources identify the M-08 as a Russian-designed contact mine associated with Iranian Sadaf/Sadaf II references and with Tanker War-era mine warfare.

Sources: USNI Crisis in Mine Countermeasures, Iranian Military Capabilities and Hormuz Strait

Sadaf-01Moored contact mine designation

EOD reference material lists an Iranian Sadaf-01 designation alongside a Soviet MYAM contact mine entry, supporting the name as a smaller contact-mine example rather than a full performance profile.

Sources: Iraq Naval Mines EOD Guide

EM-52Rocket-propelled rising mine

The Strauss Center and Covert Shores report persistent open-source claims that Iran obtained Chinese EM-52 rising mines, which sit on the bottom and launch a rocket-propelled warhead upward after detecting a target.

Sources: Strauss Center Strait of Hormuz Mines, Covert Shores Iranian Naval Mines

Bottom and influence minesAcoustic, magnetic, or pressure influence mines

DIA and think-tank assessments describe Iran's inventory as including contact and influence mines, while specialist sources describe bottom mines as harder to detect than moored contact mines.

Sources: Iran Military Power, Stimson Iranian Minelaying

Limpet minesManually attached sabotage mines

Iranian exhibits and regional incident reporting connect limpet-style devices to Iran's naval mine ecosystem, but they are distinct from seeded minefields laid by minelayers or submarines.

Sources: Wikimedia Iranian Limpet Mine Photo, Stimson Iranian Minelaying

Carrier Vessels

Iranian naval mines can be laid from several platform types; DIA specifically documents an IRGC small-boat mine fit.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Iranian small attack boats, Small attack boat / fast attack craft, Naval SystemsIranian small attack boatsSmall attack boat family

DIA says Iran modified small boats to deliver naval mines rapidly and equipped many Ashoora small boats with mine rails capable of holding at least one mine.

Sources: Iran Military Power

Ashura-class speedboat, Fast patrol boat / fast inshore attack craft, Naval SystemsAshura-class speedboatMine-laying small boat

DIA identifies Iranian naval mines as a loadout carried by Ashoora small boats fitted with mine rails.

Sources: Iran Military Power

Timeline

Iranian naval mines Key Events

  1. CIA tracks Iranian mine-warfare buildup

    CIA assessed that Iran was expanding mine-warfare training, minelaying techniques, and acquisition of naval mines and related technology.

    Sources: CIA Iranian Mine Warfare Threat

  2. Bridgeton hits an Iranian mine

    The reflagged tanker Bridgeton struck an Iranian-laid mine during the first Operation Earnest Will convoy, forcing greater U.S. attention to Persian Gulf mine countermeasures.

    Sources: USNI Crisis in Mine Countermeasures, Center for Maritime Strategy Gulf Mine Warfare

  3. Iran Ajr intercepted

    U.S. forces intercepted Iran Ajr after helicopter crews observed mine-like objects being dropped; later exploitation found Iranian-made Sadaf-02 moored contact mines aboard.

    Sources: CIA Fighting Iran

  4. USS Samuel B. Roberts mined

    USS Samuel B. Roberts struck an Iranian mine in the central Persian Gulf; later technical work tied Sadaf-02 mines to Iranian minefields in the Gulf.

    Sources: USNI Samuel B. Roberts Mine Strike, CIA Fighting Iran

  5. ONI describes IRGCN mine strategy

    The Office of Naval Intelligence described mines as a critical element of IRGCN Strait of Hormuz strategy and noted Ashoora small boats fitted with mine rails.

    Sources: Iran's Naval Forces

  6. DIA estimates Iranian mine inventory

    DIA assessed Iran's mine inventory at more than 5,000 mines, including contact and influence types, and described IRGCN use of smaller, faster vessels for rapid minelaying.

    Sources: Iran Military Power

Media

Iranian naval mines Videos

Iranian naval mines Images

Iranian naval mines, Naval mine family, Munitions - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Iran Ajr Photo
Related Weapon Systems
Iranian mine-laying vessel, Mine-laying vessel, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsIranian mine-laying vesselMine-laying vesselIranian mine-laying vessels are auxiliaries or converted landing ships used to seed naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters. The best-documented example, Iran Ajr, was a Japanese-built landing ship formerly called Arya Rakhsh that U.S. helicopters and SEALs intercepted while it was laying mines in September 1987, and in March 2026 U.S. officials said CENTCOM was still hunting and striking mine-laying vessels and mine-storage facilities during Operation Epic Fury.
Iranian naval surface vessels, Naval surface vessels, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsIranian naval surface vesselsNaval surface vesselsIranian naval surface vessels in this catalog cover two overlapping fleets: the regular Islamic Republic of Iran Navy's larger frigates, corvettes, and missile boats, and the IRGC Navy's missile boats, patrol craft, fast-attack craft, small boats, and newer missile catamarans. The fleet is usually described as a Strait of Hormuz and Gulf littoral force, combining anti-ship missiles, swarm tactics, boarding pressure, mine-capable boats, and limited larger-combatant presence rather than a peer blue-water surface fleet.
Iranian small attack boats, Small attack boat / fast attack craft, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsIranian small attack boatsSmall attack boat / fast attack craftIranian small attack boats are a mixed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fast attack craft and fast inshore attack craft force used for swarm harassment, mine laying, anti-ship missile attack, and littoral sea denial around the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. The family covers domestically produced speedboats and named classes such as Ashura/Ashoora, Tareq, Zolfaghar/Peykaap, Thondor/Houdong, Boghammar-derived craft, and Bladerunner-derived craft rather than a single standardized design.
Iranian submarines, Diesel-electric submarine force, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsIranian submarinesDiesel-electric submarine forceIranian submarines are the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy's mixed diesel-electric submarine force, combining Russian-built Tareq/Kilo boats with domestically built Fateh, Ghadir, and smaller midget-submarine classes. Centered on Bandar Abbas and the Strait of Hormuz, the fleet supports coastal sea denial, mine warfare, and anti-ship strike; during Operation Epic Fury, CENTCOM listed Iranian Navy ships and submarines among vessels damaged or destroyed.
Type 082 / 082I / 082II mine countermeasure vessel, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy minesweeper and mine countermeasure vessel family, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsType 082 / 082I / 082II mine countermeasure vesselChinese People's Liberation Army Navy minesweeper and mine countermeasure vessel familyThe Type 082 family is a Chinese PLAN mine countermeasure line spanning the original Wosao coastal minesweepers, the enlarged Type 082I Wosao II, and the more modern Type 082II Wozang minehunter. Open sources describe the family as a close-range mine-warfare force built around mechanical, magnetic, acoustic, and infrasonic sweeping, with the Wozang generation adding mine-hunting sensors, ROV-style neutralization vehicles, and remotely controlled Type 529/Wonang inshore minesweeping craft.

Sources

CENTCOM Mine Clearance MissionPublisher: U.S. Central Command | Note: 2026 Iran War: Iranian sea mines were previously laid by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting U.S. mine-clearance operations there in April 2026. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Strauss Center Strait of Hormuz MinesPublisher: University of Texas at Austin Strauss Center | Note: Supports Iranian mine stock estimates, Soviet/Western/Iranian contact mines, bottom and rising mine holdings, reported EM-52 acquisition, Kilo submarine delivery, small-boat delivery, and Chinese assistance in mine-production facilities. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Iran Military PowerPublisher: Defense Intelligence Agency | Note: Supports Iran's estimated inventory of more than 5,000 naval mines, contact and influence mine categories, rapid minelaying doctrine, and Ashoora small boats with mine rails capable of holding at least one mine. | Accessed: 2026-07-04GlobalSecurity Iran Mine WarfarePublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Specialist reference for Iranian mine-warfare background, stockpile ranges, named mine examples, and the caveat that 2026 Strait of Hormuz mine reports were disputed. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Iran's Naval ForcesPublisher: Office of Naval Intelligence | Note: Supports IRGCN mine-laying strategy, investment in mine delivery vessels, and Ashoora small boats fitted with mine rails. | Accessed: 2026-07-04CIA Fighting IranPublisher: Central Intelligence Agency | Note: Supports Iran Ajr minelaying context, Sadaf-02 as an Iranian-made moored contact mine, its 114 kg explosive charge, and its appearance in 1987-1988 Gulf minefields. | Accessed: 2026-07-04CIA Iranian Mine Warfare ThreatPublisher: Central Intelligence Agency | Note: Supports 1985 context that Iran was expanding mine-warfare training, minelaying techniques, and efforts to obtain naval mines and associated technology. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Covert Shores Iranian Naval MinesPublisher: Covert Shores | Note: Specialist open-source reference for Iranian bottom mines, EM-52 reporting, possible Russian imports, and observed Iranian mine families. | Accessed: 2026-07-04USNI Crisis in Mine CountermeasuresPublisher: U.S. Naval Institute | Note: Supports Tanker War mine incidents, Bridgeton hitting an Iranian M-08 moored mine, mine-clearance difficulty, and the estimate that Iran holds about 5,000 to 6,000 mines. | Accessed: 2026-07-04USNI Samuel B. Roberts Mine StrikePublisher: USNI News | Note: Supports the April 14, 1988 USS Samuel B. Roberts mine strike, damage context, and the practical effect of Iranian mine warfare during Operation Earnest Will. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Center for Maritime Strategy Gulf Mine WarfarePublisher: Center for Maritime Strategy | Note: Supports the 1987 Bridgeton and 1988 Samuel B. Roberts mine incidents and the broader Persian Gulf mine-countermeasures history. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Stimson Iranian MinelayingPublisher: Stimson Center | Note: Supports the strategic role of Iranian minelaying, open-source 2,000-to-6,000 mine estimates, bottom and influence mine categories, frogman delivery, and reported small-craft sortie loads. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Iraq Naval Mines EOD GuidePublisher: UXOInfo.com | Note: EOD reference supporting the Sadaf-01 designation as an Iranian contact mine entry and listing Soviet-pattern naval mine categories relevant to regional mine identification. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Iranian Military Capabilities and Hormuz StraitPublisher: Polish Political Science Yearbook | Note: Academic source supporting the association of the M-08 with Iranian Sadaf II terminology and basic contact-mine characteristics, used with caution because open-source naming varies. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Wikimedia Iranian Limpet Mine PhotoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the Iranian limpet mine photo from the 2015 Chitgar naval exhibition. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Wikimedia Iran Ajr PhotoPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the public-domain U.S. Navy photo of the captured Iranian minelaying ship Iran Ajr. | Accessed: 2026-07-04