TEHRAN, July 7 — The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, continues to direct one of the most heavily sanctioned military forces in the Middle East, with his tenure marked by aggressive posturing toward commercial shipping and regional adversaries. Salami, who was appointed to lead the IRGC in April 2019, has been a senior officer in the organization since the Iran-Iraq War that ran from 1980 to 1988.
Born in 1960 in Isfahan, Iran, he served as the IRGC’s deputy commander from 2009 to 2019 before taking the top post. He is under U.S. sanctions.
His leadership has included direct oversight of the IRGC Navy, a force known for operating fast-attack boats and deploying naval mines. In 2019, Salami threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz. Those threats became action this year.
Following Israeli strikes on Isfahan on April 11, 2025, Salami’s IRGC Navy claimed responsibility for attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States confirmed those claims on April 13, 2025.
The attacks represent a significant escalation. The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. Salami’s forces have long practiced operations with small boats and mining operations designed to disrupt shipping.
Salami is known for hardline rhetoric against both the United States and Israel. The U.S. Treasury has maintained sanctions on Salami for years, designating him as a threat to regional stability. Those sanctions freeze any U.S.-based assets and generally prohibit American citizens from doing business with him.
What comes next is uncertain. The IRGC’s willingness to strike commercial shipping — and to publicly claim responsibility — suggests Salami sees such operations as a core part of his military doctrine.
With the Strait of Hormuz remaining the world’s most important oil transit route, any further disruption would carry serious consequences for global energy markets.
