Ali Azmaei is the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
He previously served as deputy commander of the force and as commander of the Fifth Naval District, “Imam...
Ali Azmaei is the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
He previously served as deputy commander of the force and as commander of the Fifth Naval District, “Imam Baqir.”
He began his military service during the Iran–Iraq War with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Hormozgan Province, and later joined the IRGC Navy.
From the mid-2000s until 2010, he served as deputy coordinator of the First Naval District, “Sahib al-Zaman”, and from 2010 to 2012 he served as deputy commander of the district.
In November 2012, he was appointed commander of the Fifth Naval District, “Imam Baqir”, a position he held until 2025.
The district’s headquarters is located in Bandar Lengeh, and its area of responsibility extends from east of Qeshm Island to west of Kish Island and also includes the three disputed islands.
His tenure, which lasted approximately 13 years, was among the longest of any IRGC Navy district commander.
In April 2022, he was promoted in rank, and in 2025 he was appointed deputy commander of the IRGC Navy.
Following the killing of IRGC Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri in April 2026, Azmaei became acting commander of the force.
On August 10, 2026, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei formally appointed him commander of the IRGC Navy as part of a series of appointments of new commanders in the armed forces.
