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TEHERAN - IRAN will mass produce replicas of the Bladerunner 51, often described as the world's fastest boat, and equip them with weapons to be deployed in the Gulf, a top commander said on Tuesday.

'The Bladerunner is a British ship that holds the world speed record. We got a copy (on which) we made some changes so it can launch missiles and torpedoes,' said General Ali Fadavi of the Revolutionary Guards's navy.

'The Revolutionary Guards will be equipped with many' of them within a year, he said at a ceremony marking the delivery of 12 other speed boats equipped with missiles and torpedoes to the Guards.

The Bladerunner 51, weighing 16 tonnes and 15.5 metres long is manufactured at the ICE Marine shipyard in Britain and can reach a maximum speed of 65 knots.

The boat, powered by two 1,000-horsepower engines, reportedly conducted in 2005 a tour of the British Isles in a little more than 27 hours at an average speed of 63 knots.

General Fadavi did not fully explain how Iran managed to get a copy of the boat, only saying it had come 'via South Africa.' He said a US ship had tried to intercept the boat before it entered Iranian waters 18 months ago, but added Iranian forces protected it and ensured its arrival. -- AFP