Rear Admiral Ali Azmaei, Commander of the IRGC Navy, stated: "We have transformed our tactical weaknesses into strengths."

In his first televised interview, Rear Admiral Ali Azmaei, Commander of the IRGC Navy, emphasized the concept of "smart control" over the Strait of Hormuz, stating: "The Americans claim today that the Strait of Hormuz is open and under their control, but this claim differs from the realities on the ground. They offer political analyses, but if they wish to know whether the Strait is open or closed, they must enter the arena and see who actually controls it."

He added: "Today, by the grace of God and through the efforts of all IRGC Navy combatants—who are servants of the people and soldiers of the *Velayat* [Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist]—we stand firm against our malicious enemies."

Referring to the status of the US fleet in the region, the IRGC Navy commander remarked: "Today, the US military and its seven fleets have effectively turned into fuel smugglers. The reality is that their $13-billion aircraft carrier has been rendered ineffective; it functions merely as an airstrip positioned 700 to 800 kilometers away from the Strait of Hormuz, because it is vulnerable and dares not approach close enough to fall within the firing range of our combatants."

Rear Admiral Azmaei asserted: "The Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf are under the control of the IRGC Navy, while our dear brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy control the Sea of ​​Oman. In fact, the blockade extends beyond the Sea of ​​Oman into the Arabian Sea, a region also controlled by our brothers in the Army Navy." Explaining the method of controlling the Strait of Hormuz, he stated: "Our control is 'smart control'; this means that vessels intending to traverse this route must obtain authorization from us. For vessels originating from or bound for Iran, permits are issued—subject to prevailing conditions—allowing them to navigate through Iranian waters."

The IRGC Navy Commander continued: "The Americans encourage offending vessels to slip out of the area covertly, with their lights turned off. They deploy F-35 and F-16 fighter jets over the Strait of Hormuz to facilitate the clandestine exit of three, four, or five oil tankers—much like individuals who hire others by paying exorbitant fees."

Pointing to the high costs associated with transporting oil to West Asia, Rear Admiral Azmaei remarked: "It is now widely acknowledged that the cost of transporting oil to West Asia reaches approximately $150 per barrel—a staggering figure."