What is Iran's Revolutionary Guard? AP Explains

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

• 🇮🇷 The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is a paramilitary force within Iran's Islamic Republic, distinct from the regular army and navy.
• 👑 It serves as a power base for Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who significantly empowered it after the Iran-Iraq war.

IRGC's Expanded Role and Operations

• 🚀 Post-war, the IRGC was granted vast economic powers and control over key military programs, including Iran's ballistic missile program.
• 🌍 It also oversees the expeditionary forces, which the West accuses of targeting exiles abroad.

Role in Domestic Control and International Sanctions

• 🏍️ The IRGC's all-volunteer Besiege Force, often seen on motorcycles, is crucial in suppressing protests within Iran.
• ⚠️ These forces have been accused of attacking and killing demonstrators, leading to sanctions from the European Union, Canada, and the United States, with the EU designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
• 📈 The IRGC is expected to remain a central pillar of Khamenei's rule, and Iran is likely to react strongly to international measures against it.