Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), commonly called the Pasdaran, (Guards), is an Iranian military force founded after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. It was originally founded to preserve the principles of the revolution and protect the supreme leader. However, the IRGC also acts as an external security force and promotes Iran's interests abroad. It is split into five main branches. History The IRGC was founded on May 5, 1979, by the first Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini. In the period following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, different political and ethnic groups competed with Khomeini for power. Because of this competition, Khomeini created the IRGC as a domestic security force to protect the principles of the Islamic Revolution and suppress non-Islamist opposition. The role of the IRGC transformed during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). Although the regular military (the Artesh) created by the previous regime still existed, Khomeini was suspicious of its loyalty to the newly founded Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). As a result, many members of the Artesh either abandoned their roles or were removed by the IRI. This weakened the Artesh and led to its poor performance at the beginning of the Iran-Iraq War. Therefore, the IRGC was expanded to include an army, air force, navy, engineering branch, foreign operations branch (Quds Force), and a volunteer corps (the Basij). After the end of the war, the IRGC’s role continued to expand economically, politically, and militarily. Economically, the IRGC's engineering branch helped rebuild the country’s infrastructure, housing, and oil sector. Politically, the IRGC began to align itself with the principalist faction of Iranian politics, with former IRGC members appointed to key political positions. They have also grown militarily through their missile program and their partnership with regional militias such as Hezbollah and Hamas. 2026 Iran War The IRGC played a role in applying Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz during the 2026 Iran War. During the war, many Iranian high-ranking civil servant and political leaders were killed by American and Israeli air strikes, such as Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This led to a power vacuum, meaning the IRGC was able to take over important positions by selecting new officeholders with ties to the IRGC. For example, the replacement for Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba Khamenei, was very involved with the IRGC. Iranian leadership in other words became more militarized. Some analysts have even claimed that political power in Iran is now fully in the hands of the IRGC, and have started describing the country's leadership as a military dictatorship or a junta. Ideology The IRGC is aligned with the Shia Islamist ideology of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It promises to protect the system of velayat-e faqih, which believes that a Shia cleric should govern until the hidden Imam returns. It also promises to protect and uphold Islamic principles. In foreign policy, the IRGC promotes the spreading of the Islamic Revolution, anti-Westernism, and anti-imperialism. Organization The IRGC consists of five divisions. Just like the regular Iranian military, it has a land army, an air force, and a navy. These divisions exist side-by-side and in parallel. Generally, the IRGC receives the most modern equipment, compared with the regular military. Army: The ground forces of the IRGC. It can operate alone or together with the regular military. Aerospace Force: Operates some aircraft, controls Iran's surface-to-surface missiles, and most of the country's drones. Navy: The IRGC's Navy mainly operates smaller ships, instead of larger ones like a regular navy. They aim to use these smaller boats in groups to attack larger warships or merchant ships using guerilla warfare. Basij paramilitary force: An organization within the IRGC that is made up of volunteers. It includes armed groups and riot police units that support other Iranian security organizations. It also has a more prominent role in Iranian society, as it operates a network of social organizations and businesses. The Quds Force: A special division responsible for unconventional warfare and collecting intelligence outside of Iran. They support and work together with groups in other countries such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen. The IRGC also houses a Cyber Electronic Command, which can be linked to different hacking groups that have attacked Western organizations Influence and activities Politics Khomeini opposed the IRGC's involvement in Iranian politics and called for the military to stay out of the affairs of political parties. During this time, there was political unity amongst the supporters of Khomeini. However, under the rule of Ayatollah Khamenei, his Islamist supporters began to divide between principalists and reformists. The principalists wanted to continue strict Islamic rule, social conservatism, and an aggressive foreign policy, whilst reformists called for greater social and political freedoms. The IRGC chose to align itself with the principalist group and encouraged its grassroots organisations, such as the Basij, to vote for principalist candidates in the presidential elections. Under principalist President Ahmadinejad (2004-2014), former senior IRGC members also held important political positions, including minister of defence, intelligence, interior, and oil. This has ended the IRGC's non-involvement in Iranian politics. Foreign Policy Since the end of the Iran-Iraq war, the foreign policy of the IRGC has been carried out by the Quds Force unit. This foreign policy is framed as a political Shi’ism and ‘exporting the Islamic revolution’. However, some authors argue that this Islamic ideology hides plain power politics. Under the leadership of Qasem Soleimani, the Quds Force has supported groups in the Middle East such as Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, Yemen's Houthis, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. They support these groups by providing training, money, weapons, and logistical support. This helps Iran grow its military power and influence in the Middle East. The Quds Force has also carried out operations across Iraq and Syria. Economic The IRGC operates a large network of businesses inside Iran in many different sectors, especially construction. Academics also believe the IRGC may be highly involved in the Iranian black market. Influence on Media For propaganda purposes, the IRGC operates a large number of websites with news meant for an Iranian audience. It also actively encourages other news outlets to cover and write about the IRGC. One of its most important other official media outlets is its magazine, Sobh-e Sadegh. The IRGC's Basij volunteer organization plays a major role within its propaganda, media and influence activities. Controversies A number of countries and organizations have officially named the IRGC a terrorist organization. This includes the European Union, the United States of America, and Canada. These decisions were based on the violence it perpetrated against its own citizens, as well as its suspected involvement in and support of terrorist attacks. References