Iran has broken its silence on the so-called “dolphins of the Persian Gulf,” with Navy Commander Shahram Irani confirming the deployment of domestically built light submarines in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran said the mini-subs can “bottom rest” on the seabed for long periods, allowing them to monitor and potentially engage hostile vessels in strategic waters. Iranian officials said the submarines were used during operations launched after the reported attack on the IRIS Dena warship. The remarks came days after U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth mocked reports about Iran’s alleged “kamikaze dolphins,” comparing them to “sharks with laser beams.”