Does Iran have special forces?

Iran does not have an independent special operations service. The structure of its forces is unique; it consists of two major independent branches – the Armed Forces (army) proper, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards.

Who is the leader of the IRGC?

The Chief Commander of the Guardians since 2019 is Hossein Salami, who was preceded by Mohammad Ali Jafari and Yahya Rahim Safavi, respectively, from 2007 and 1997.

What does IRGC stand for?

Iran’s leader Ruhollah Khomeini established the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in April 1979 by decree and tasked it with safeguarding the Islamic republic that was formed after the Iranian Revolution (1978–79).

How powerful is the Iranian military?

In terms of overall military strength, the Iranian armed forces rank 14th in the world out of 137 countries that are ranked in 2019 by Global Firepower and Business Insider. With some 523,000 active-duty forces and another 350,000 reserves, Iran has the largest standing military in the Middle East.

What kind of force is the Basij in Iran?

Iran, October 15, 2020—The Basij, known as the so-called “Mobilization Resistance Force,” is a subdivision of the terrorist-designated Revolutionary Guard ( IRGC) and the main force used in suppressing protests and imposing crackdown measures on the Iranian people. Basij is one of the five forces of the IRGC.

What was the purpose of the Basij force?

Basij is the name of the force; a basiji is an individual member. The Basij were initially engaged in assisting the Revolutionary Guards and the Revolutionary Committees (disbanded in the early 1990s) to secure law and order in major population centers.

Where are the Basij deployed in the world?

Basij are deployed against drug traffickers in the eastern border regions and smugglers in Hormuzgan and Bushehr, and on the border with Iraq. In 1988 college Basiji organizations were established on college campuses to fight ” Westoxification ” and potential student agitation against the government.

What did the Basij do in the Iraq War?

As the war took its toll on Iranian forces, the poorly trained Basij were deployed alongside the regular Iranian military. They were often used in “human wave” tactics, in which they were deployed as cannon fodder or minesweepers, against Iraqi forces.