Ali Azmaei has been appointed as the new commander of the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), taking charge of the force. He succeeds Alireza Tangsiri, the former IRGC Navy commander, who was killed in attacks by the United States and Israel on March, 2026. Before his appointment, Azmaei commanded the IRGC Navy’s Fifth Naval Region. The regional command was established on November 2012, with an operational area extending from the eastern end of Qeshm Island, including the Nazaat Islands, to the western part of Kish Island. Azmaei was appointed commander of the Fifth Naval Region when it was established. Prior to that, he served as deputy commander of the IRGC Navy’s First Naval Region. The appointment comes as the IRGC Navy undergoes a change in leadership following the killing of Alireza Tangsiri.
