The most visible aspect of Venezuela’s military cooperation with Iran is the
Peykaap III fast attack boat. Sometimes referred to as “Zolfaghar” boats, these are just under 57 feet long, can reach speeds of up to 52 knots, and carry two anti-ship missiles and two torpedoes. In the Persian Gulf, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy uses them as part of a swarm tactic in which they rush larger vessels from multiple angles while firing missiles, rockets, and machine guns. In Venezuelan service, the concept is similar.
What makes the boats particularly dangerous are their
CM-90 anti-ship missiles, which are the export version of Iran’s Nasr. They have a range of 55 miles and travel at 760 miles per hour using active radar guidance.
That range is not a game-changer by itself, but an accurate, sea-skimming missile still creates an effective anti-ship bubble around Venezuela’s coastline, especially near naval bases like Puerto Cabello. Mounted on fast-attack craft, that bubble becomes mobile.