TEHRAN – Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, commander of Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, issued a stark warning to adversaries on Saturday, pledging a “decisive and crushing answer” to any threats against Iran’s territorial integrity.

Speaking at an exhibition of the IRGC Navy’s achievements in Hormozgan Province, located along the southern coast of the country, Tangsiri underscored Tehran’s growing self-reliance in defense and its unwavering sovereignty over the Persian Gulf islands.

He lauded Iran’s shift from foreign dependency to domestic military innovation, declaring, “Today, we have reached a level of power where no enemy can challenge our maritime borders.”

He credited the nation’s youth and specialists for driving advancements in naval technology, framing their work as a bulwark against foreign aggression.

“Leaning on our brave youth, we will not allow enemies the slightest aggression against our maritime borders,” he affirmed.

The admiral contrasted Iran’s current autonomy with past reliance on external allies, stating, “We once needed outsiders to counter enemies, but now we independently meet all defense needs.”

This shift, he argued, reflects broader national resilience forged through decades of sanctions and geopolitical pressure.

The navy chief highlighted Hormozgan Province’s exhibition as proof of Tehran’s “technological self-sufficiency,” which has reduced reliance on foreign arms. Regular exercises, he added, demonstrate readiness to secure shipping lanes and repel aggression.

The IRGC Navy has recently prioritized indigenous development, expanding its fleet with fast-attack boats, advanced missile systems, and drone swarms tailored for asymmetric warfare.

Indisputable reality: Persian Gulf is Iranian territory

Central to Tangsiri’s address was Iran’s sovereignty over the Greater and Lesser Tunbs, Abu Musa, and 17 other islands in the Persian Gulf.

“These islands have always been part of Iran’s territory and will remain Iranian as long as Iran stands,” he asserted, dismissing competing claims as “illegitimate.”

The islands, he noted, dominate the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint for 30% of global seaborne oil trade—and serve as “Iran’s point of dominance over the Persian Gulf’s entrance and exit routes.”  

Tangsiri linked the islands’ security to Iran’s historical identity, stating, “No power can erase our millennia-old identity. The Persian Gulf is Iranian, and we are its guardians.”

He paid tribute to martyrs who defended the nation’s territories during the 1980–88 Iran-Iraq War, emphasizing, “Our martyrs cemented Iran’s identity on these lands.”

The commander also described Iran’s naval posture as essential to protecting energy reserves, citing oil fields like Nowruz, Soroush, and Forouzan.

“Even during the 1980s war, when enemies attacked these fields, production never ceased,” he said, referencing Iraqi strikes during the war. “Defending these God-given resources is our sacred duty.”

“In the Persian Gulf, we do not have international waters—these are part of our continental shelf,” he said, urging Iranian leaders to intensify exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves.

“Throughout history, Iranians have strived to remove colonizers from this area.” He singled out Qeshm, Hengam, and Larak Islands as critical to controlling the Strait of Hormuz, adding, “Preserving the strait is possible only through these islands.”  

“As long as Iran stands, we will defend our land and waters with unwavering resolve,” Tangsiri concluded.