The Revolutionary Guards, also known as Pasdaran, were founded in Iran after the Islamic Revolution to ideologically preserve the revolution and safeguard Iran from Western interference. They operate independently from the regular army and oversee strategic weapons, national security, and border control. The organization has trained and supplied weapons to terrorist organizations, leading to their inclusion on the US Terrorist Organization List in 2007. They also control various businesses and have connections to weapons manufacturing and university labs.
The title “Revolutionary Guards” is an abbreviation of “the Army of the Guards of the Islamic Revolution”. They are also known as Pasdaran, which is “guardian” in Farsi, the national language of Iran. The organization was founded in Iran in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution to carry out the mission of ideologically preserving the Islamic Revolution. New Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini and his followers worried about possible intervention by the United States and other Western countries after the US-British sponsored coup under Mohammed Mossadeqh in 1953. The coup, also known as as Operation Ajax, pro-Western Shah Reza Pahlavi restored power.
Ideological preservation includes, but is not limited to, safeguarding Iran from future Western interference and maintaining an Islamic state. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, which come under the broad umbrella of the Ministry of Defence, operate completely independently of Iran’s regular army, the Artesh. Structured similarly to the Artesh, the Guards are staffed with land forces, navy, air force, intelligence and volunteer special forces. They are specifically responsible for overseeing Iran’s strategic weapons and missile program, national security, border security, drug smuggling, resistance operations, and control of the Strait of Hormoz.
With a manpower of over 125,000 and the potential for 1 million or more if reservists are included, the Revolutionary Guards have carried out their mission causing a significant amount of debate and controversy in the international community. Most famous for their human attacks during the storming of cities, the organization is known for providing military training and weapons to many terrorist organizations across the Middle East and the world.
One of the more controversial reports remains the training of Hezbollah militants by the Revolutionary Guards. Other terrorist organizations believed to have aided by the group are Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Taliban. Furthermore, it has been suspected of helping to destabilize Iraq after the US’s removal of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Many believe that the Revolutionary Guards trained, financed and supplied arms to Shia militias during a period of reconstruction. Their involvement with militant organizations and suspected Shia militias supply activity earned them a place on the United States Terrorist Organization List in October of 2007.
Furthermore, the Revolutionary Guards have become more than just an army in Iran. Now they dabble in all kinds of businesses and help dilute lines of business and government. They control billions of dollars in engineering and construction capital, manufacturing and illegal alcohol imports, and have connections to university labs and weapons manufacturing.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
