A footage claiming to show a secret Iranian underground naval base resurfaced on X after being originally shared by Tehran’s state television in January last year.
The video, which first aired on Iranian state television (Channel 2) as part of an IRGC unveiling of an underground “vessel city” along Iran’s southern coast, has resurfaced amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
The Trap 🚨🇮🇷
— Gandalv (@Microinteracti1) March 11, 2026
The Iranian regime has released footage of underground naval tunnels packed with fast-attack boats, anti-ship missiles, and naval mines.
Something tells me they did not build this last week.
The Islamic Republic has had forty years to prepare for this moment.… pic.twitter.com/QaA1e6DAqY
What do we know about this ‘secret naval base’?
The base, which is reportedly operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is located some 500 metres below an undisclosed location in the Gulf.
Tehran claimed the speedboats filmed were a new generation Taregh-class radar-evading speedboats – capable of launching cruise missiles, The Jerusalem Post had previously reported. It reportedly houses combat boats, anti-ship missiles, and naval mines.
Late General Hossein Salami, who was killed in the Israeli airstrike during the Iran–Israel war last June, was also seen visiting the base alongside naval arm commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri in the footage.
Notably, the footage was released ahead of Trump’s presidency in the US for the second time, according to Sky News and Reuters.
What is known about Iran’s naval strength?
Iran operates more than 145 formal combat vessels, plus hundreds or even thousands of armed speedboats. The conventional navy includes frigates, corvettes and patrol ships, while the IRGC fleet is dominated by small missile boats and fast attack craft designed for swarming attacks against larger ships, according to Bolt Flight.
Tehran’s latest stance on Strait of Hormuz
As of Wednesday, Iran has sharply escalated its stance around the Strait of Hormuz, effectively enforcing a blockade and warning that ships linked to the US, Israel, or their allies could be treated as “legitimate targets.”
Iranian military command said it would not allow “even a single litre of oil” belonging to its adversaries to pass through the waterway during the war and even indicated that crude prices could see a sharp hike, touching $200/barrel.