Tangsiri was born in 1962 in Bushehr province in southern Iran. He joined the IRGC during the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s.
At that time, they took part in naval operations, including the ‘Tanker Wars’ when both sides targeted oil shipping routes.
After working for years, he climbed up the ranks. He later commanded the 1st Naval District of the IRGC Navy in Bandar Abbas.
From 2010 to 2018, he served as deputy commander, after which Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei promoted him to lead the entire navy.
Strong and controversial statements
Tangsiri often made strong public statements about Iran’s enemies.
In 2007, he said that if the US confronted Iran, Iranian forces would pursue them to the Gulf of Mexico.
He also made comments about Israel and the United States that reflected deep hostility.
In recent years, he continued to talk about Iran’s military strength. In 2021, he claimed that the US had realized ‘Iran’s superiority at sea’.
In early 2025, he warned that if the enemies made any mistake they would be sent ‘to the depths of hell’.