An Iranian warship sailing the deep waters of the Indian Ocean should set alarm bells ringing. The IRGC Navy (NEDSA) completed a pioneering long-range cruise in May, claiming to have passed waters near the US military base at Diego Garcia and beyond during 39 days at sea. Long-range deployments have previously been undertaken by the conventional Iranian Navy (NEDAJA), while NEDSA – as an arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – is allied with the aggressive regional expansionism program that within the Iranian state is driven by the IRGC.