Tangsiri was born in 1962 in Bushehr Province in southern Iran. He joined the IRGC during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.
During that time, he took part in naval operations, including what became known as the “Tanker Wars”, when both sides targeted oil shipping routes.
Over the years, he rose through the ranks. He later commanded the IRGC Navy’s 1st Naval District in Bandar Abbas.
From 2010 to 2018, he served as deputy commander before being promoted to lead the entire naval force by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Strong and controversial statements
Tangsiri often made strong public statements about Iran’s enemies.
In 2007, he said that if the United States clashed with Iran, Iranian forces would chase them even to the Gulf of Mexico.
He also made remarks about Israel and the US that reflected deep hostility.
In recent years, he continued to speak about Iran’s military strength. In 2021, he claimed the US had realised Iran’s “superiority at sea”.
In early 2025, he warned that enemies would be sent “to the depths of hell” if they made a mistake.