What is Iran’s IRGC? Powerhouse behind Iran’s military might and regime stability

Dubai: Dubai: Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is back in global headlines after its top commander, General Hossein Salami, was confirmed dead in Israeli airstrikes on Friday. Iranian state television called his death a major blow to the regime and a sharp escalation in its long-simmering conflict with Israel.

The IRGC is Iran’s most powerful military institution — independent of the regular army and answerable only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Formed shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the IRGC was designed to protect Iran’s Shiite clerical regime and serve as a counterweight to the country’s regular armed forces.

Under Khamenei, especially during his presidency (1981–89) and now as Supreme Leader, the IRGC has evolved into a dominant political, economic, and military force within Iran.

The IRGC commands an estimated 125,000 troops across its army, navy, air force, and intelligence wings. It also controls the Basij, a volunteer paramilitary force loyal to the regime. In wartime, Basij forces famously mounted human wave attacks during the Iran-Iraq War. In peacetime, they enforce Islamic social codes and suppress anti-government protests. Analysts estimate there may be millions of Basijis, with around one million active.

The Quds Force, the IRGC’s overseas operations unit, extends Iran’s influence across the Middle East. From Syria and Iraq to Lebanon and Yemen, it supports proxy militias and regional allies.

It backed Syrian President Bashar Al Assad during the civil war and supported Iraqi forces in their fight against Daesh terror group (Isis). The Quds Force’s most prominent commander, Major General Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020, sparking fears of direct conflict.

The IRGC oversees Iran’s ballistic missile programme, considered the largest in the Middle East. It has used missiles to strike militants in Syria and Kurdish opposition targets in northern Iraq.

In 2019, the US, Europe, and Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for a missile and drone strike that temporarily crippled Saudi Arabia’s largest oil processing facility — though Iran denied involvement.

The Guards also have significant conventional capabilities, demonstrated during their combat roles in Syria and Iraq.

Former IRGC members hold key positions throughout Iran’s political system. Most of the late President Ebrahim Raisi’s cabinet were ex-IRGC officers. The Guards are seen as defenders of the regime’s revolutionary ideals and often intervene politically when they perceive a threat to the system.

After the Iran-Iraq War, the IRGC took part in reconstruction efforts and soon built a vast business empire. Today, it controls billions of dollars in assets across construction, telecommunications, oil, gas, and more — making it not just a military force, but also a major economic player.

The United States has designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, citing its destabilising activities and proxy wars across the region. One of its key creations, Hezbollah, was founded in 1982 to fight Israeli forces in Lebanon and remains one of the region’s most powerful militias.