Iranian frigate Sabalan Iranian frigate Sabalan Sabalan (in Persian سبلان) is a British-made Vosper Mark V-class (or ) frigate in the Iranian Navy. Commissioned in June 1972 as part of a four-ship order, the "Sabalan" was originally named IIS "Rostam", after Rostam, a legendary hero in the Shahnameh, but was renamed after the Islamic revolution for Sabalan, the Iranian mountain. During the Iran–Iraq War, the warship became infamous for attacks against the crews of unarmed and often neutral tankers and other merchant ships. Before these attacks, "Sabalan"s captain would often board the ships and pretend to carry out a friendly inspection, sometimes even
Iranian frigate Sabalan p.m. (Gulf time). At 6.18 p.m., an A-6 dropped a Mk-82 500 pound laser-guided bomb, which left "Sabalan" paralyzed and on fire. At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Adm. William J. Crowe Jr., and U.S. Central Command head Gen. George B. Crist monitored the situation. After discussion, the men decided to spare the moribund "Sabalan", perhaps to prevent further escalation. Iranian forces towed the damaged ship to the port of Bandar Abbas, and it was eventually repaired and returned to service. In January 2014 "Sabalan" and , a supply ship capable of carrying helicopters,