Iran Asserts IRGC Holds Total Hormuz Control
IRGC Navy Chief Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri delivered the assertive remarks hours after the commencement of the drill, with the IRGC Navy's public relations wing characterizing the exercise as "combined, live and purpose-driven" drills spanning both the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to Iran's state media, Tangsiri said the IRGC Navy's surveillance coverage across the strait is "comprehensive at surface, aerial and even sub-surface levels" — a capability he framed not as a show of aggression, but as a guarantor of maritime safety. He noted that more than 80 oil tankers and container ships transit the waterway daily, representing a substantial share of global maritime trade, with IRGC intelligence ensuring their "safe passage."
Tangsiri characterized the islands dotting the two waterways as "impregnable fortresses," asserting that the defense of these territories and the broader Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz "is the responsibility of the IRGC Navy," which conducts "routine annual exercises to ensure security" across the strategically vital region.
While describing the drills as part of the IRGC Navy's standard annual calendar, Tangsiri noted their distinction lies in the "tactical maneuvers and equipment being employed" — some of which, he said, have not yet been officially unveiled. Central to the exercise, he added, is the "rapid and decisive response" of IRGC operational units to maritime security threats, which sits at the "core of the drills." He further disclosed that rapid-response units are trained to intervene, inspect, or seize "unauthorized vessels" transiting the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf.
Earlier Monday, the IRGC confirmed the exercise — titled "Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz" — is being conducted under the direct field supervision of IRGC Commander-in-Chief Major General Mohammad Pakpour. Among its stated objectives are assessing operational readiness of IRGC Navy units, stress-testing security scenarios for potential military contingencies in the Strait of Hormuz region, and evaluating Iran's geopolitical leverage across the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman.
The show of military force arrives against a backdrop of sharply escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the deployment of a second American aircraft carrier to the Middle East. The USS Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by a destroyer fleet, is already positioned in the region.
Yet even as both sides flex military muscle, diplomacy has not been entirely abandoned. Tehran and Washington are scheduled to resume indirect nuclear negotiations in Geneva on Tuesday, under Omani mediation — the second such round since talks quietly restarted in Muscat earlier this month, nearly eight months after they collapsed following an Israeli strike on Iran that ignited a 12-day conflict.
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