(Image source from: REUTERS)
The naval leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Alireza Tangsiri, has reportedly died in an attack by the US and Israel near Bandar Abbas, according to reports from Israeli media that reference an Israeli official. Tangsiri was in charge of controlling the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by the Times of Israel. Iran and the Israeli military have not yet responded to news about the attack. If this information is verified, it would be another significant death in the ongoing conflict, which has now been active for four weeks. Tangsiri was one of the few prominent figures who had survived attempts on his life by the US and Israel until now. He had been an experienced commander since 2018 and played an important role in Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz. By dominating traffic in the Strait, which connects the Persian Gulf to the sea, Iran has been stopping vessels it believes are associated with the US and Israel's military efforts, while allowing some others to pass through. In normal times, around 20 percent of the world's oil and natural gas trade moves through this important waterway.
Iran's control of this route has caused a 95 percent decline in the amount of energy being shipped daily through those important waters. The channel usually sees about 120 crossings each day, according to shipping data from Lloyd's List. But between March 1 and 25, ships transporting goods made only 155 trips, based on information from analytics company Kpler—this is a 95 percent drop. Out of these, 99 were oil tankers and gas carriers, most of which were heading east out of the strait. On Wednesday, only two vessels were seen crossing the strait, both going west. News agencies Fars and Tasnim, which are linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, have reported that Tehran is also trying to put in place a system to charge ships fees for passing through. Iran is said to be starting a "de facto toll booth" policy, with some vessels paying in Chinese yuan to get through the strait.
Numerous high-ranking leaders and commanders within the Revolutionary Guard, including Iran's long-serving supreme leader, have already lost their lives due to US-Israeli attacks. Despite this, the governing system has been able to continue to plan and function through the conflict that started on February 28. Established after the revolution in 1979, the Islamic Republic has a complicated power structure supported by multiple organizations committed to the survival of the theocratic government rather than depending on a few key individuals. Iran's political framework combines religious leadership with an elected president and parliament, and all play essential roles in governing the Islamic Republic along with the Revolutionary Guard. The death of Ali Larijani, a key advisor to the late Ali Khamenei, earlier this month was a significant loss for the ruling authorities due to his vast experience, his ability to navigate between different power factions in Iran, and his talent in dealing with the global community.
Different skilled and seasoned political leaders are still present, but the more notable ones who might take the places of Larijani and other people who were murdered could be more extreme in their views than those who have died.
