Key facts
- Iran's navy commander Shahram Irani asserted the navy is 'alive and well' and continuing its mission.
- US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed all of Iran's naval ships have been destroyed.
- Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called on Muslim leaders to identify and confront their enemy.
- Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the IRGC Navy, was assassinated by Israel on March 26, 2026.
- Israel claimed Tangsiri was responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz and other attacks.
Iran's navy commander Shahram Irani has asserted that the naval force is "alive and well" and continuing its operations, directly contradicting claims made by US President Donald Trump that all Iranian naval ships have been destroyed. Irani stated that the navy "will spare no effort to defend our beloved Iran and ensure and maintain the security of the great Iranian nation."
These statements come amidst an ongoing conflict, referred to as the "war on Iran," which began six months prior. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has urged Muslim heads of state to "recognize their real enemy, understand its plans and confront it."
Separately, Alireza Tangsiri, who served as the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy from 2018 to 2026, was assassinated by an Israeli airstrike on March 26, 2026. Israel's defense minister Israel Katz stated that Tangsiri was directly responsible for blocking the Strait of Hormuz and other attacks. The Israeli Defense Forces also claimed that other senior IRGC Navy commanders were killed in the strike, which was later confirmed by Iranian authorities. Tangsiri had a history of making assertive statements regarding Iran's naval capabilities and its adversaries, including threats against the United States and Israel.