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Marine mammals trained during the Cold War return to the center of tensions between Iran and the United States after Pentagon statements and reports involving secret naval operations
An unusual question dominated part of the Pentagon briefing, held on May 5, 2026, during debates about the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
The question arose after a reporter from the American newspaper The Daily Wire asked US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, about reports involving alleged “suicide dolphins” used by Iran.
Hegseth responded in a relaxed tone. The secretary stated that he could neither confirm nor deny the existence of similar programs in the United States. Nevertheless, he declared that Iran would not possess this type of operational capability.
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The topic gained even more repercussion after the participation of General Dan Kaine, chairman of the American Joint Chiefs of Staff. The military official compared the rumors to the famous fictional idea of “sharks equipped with laser beams”.
Wall Street Journal report brought the topic back into focus
The discussion returned to the international stage after a report published by The Wall Street Journal, a few days before the Pentagon briefing.
The American newspaper stated that Iranian authorities were evaluating unusual alternatives to try and break the naval blockade imposed by the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most strategic maritime routes on the planet.
According to the publication, Iranian representatives mentioned possible weapons not yet officially used. Among them would be submarines and dolphins equipped with explosive mines, capable of hitting American military ships.
The report also highlighted threats involving submarine fiber optic cables installed in the region, responsible for a significant portion of global internet traffic.
History of military dolphins began during the Soviet Union
The military use of dolphins may seem unlikely. Still, such programs have existed for decades and were initially developed during the Cold War.
Reports published by the BBC, approximately 26 years ago, revealed that Iran had bought several marine mammals trained by the former Soviet navy from Ukraine.
The animals left Sevastopol, in Crimea, heading to the Persian Gulf after the collapse of the Soviet Union, officially ended in 1991.
The transported group included dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, and a beluga whale, totaling 27 animals carried on a cargo plane.
Information released by the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda indicated that the mammals had been trained to detect enemy divers, patrol maritime areas, and protect naval installations.
Training included submarine recognition and mine use
The main person responsible for the training was Boris Zhurid, a former submarine officer who also had a medical background.
Reports published by the Russian press indicated that Zhurid decided to sell the animals because he could no longer maintain adequate food, medicine, and facilities after the financial cuts that occurred in the post-Soviet period.
Statements attributed to the trainer claimed that the dolphins were taught to recognize submarines by the sound of their propellers and to identify foreign vessels.
Part of the reports also indicated that some animals could carry explosives attached to their bodies to hit ship hulls in missions considered suicidal.
The Komsomolskaya Pravda described the trained mammals as an old “Soviet secret weapon” sold to Iran “at a liquidation price”.
Former Iranian president denied military purpose of animals
Former Iranian president **Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani**, who governed Iran between **1989 and 1997**, publicly rejected accusations about the military use of marine mammals.
In his book **Reforms in Times of Crisis**, Rafsanjani reported a visit in **1990** to **Kish** island, where the animals were housed.
The former president described presentations given by Ukrainian trainers who taught Iranians how to care for the newly imported mammals.
Excerpts from the work state that Iranian generals denied information released by the Western press about military operations involving sea mines.
Rafsanjani also highlighted the animals’ physical characteristics, as well as the adaptation required to maintain species from the cold waters of the Arctic Ocean.
Russia and the United States maintain military programs with marine mammals
Military programs involving marine mammals continue to exist in some countries today.
The **United States** maintains a naval program in **San Diego**, California. The initiative uses animals trained for specific maritime operations.
**Russia**, in turn, recently expanded the presence of military dolphins in the port of **Sevastopol**, in the Black Sea, after the start of the war in Ukraine.
Satellite images also raised speculation about similar structures in **North Korea**, although there is no official confirmation.
The story of the Soviet dolphins sold to Iran remains surrounded by military accounts, geopolitical disputes, and episodes that continue to spark international curiosity decades later.
To what extent can military programs involving animals still influence modern strategies in regions of global tension?
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