Compiled by: Oğuzcan Atış / Milliyet.com.tr – When it comes to tension and conflict between Iran, the USA or Israel, one of the actors that is definitely mentioned in this equation is the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Army. It is known that the guards, which some experts define as a "state within a state", are among the most important forces in the hands of the current Iranian administration today and are responsible for protecting the "Islamic Republic" declared by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 during the protests that overthrew the Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. This structure, which is basically seen as a military formation, means much more than a military organization with the areas it influences within Iran. Some experts think that the role of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in the country's administration has increased significantly, especially after the US/Israeli attacks that started on February 28.
Today, there are two different military structures in Iran. One of them is the Iranian Armed Forces, that is, the current Iranian army, while the other is the military structure known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Army Command, whose main purpose is to protect the current Iranian regime. The Revolutionary Guard, which is separate from Iran's official army, works directly under the Iranian Supreme Leader. It is known that the Revolutionary Guards Army was established on May 5, 1979, shortly after the revolution in 1979, upon the instructions of Khomeini, in order to protect the new administration and to act as a counterweight to the army against a possible coup attempt.
THERE ARE SEPARATE FORCE COMMANDS WITHIN THEM
One of the first conflicts that the Revolutionary Guards entered into was the Iraq-Iran war, which took place between 1980 and 1988. Conflicts in which thousands of people lost their lives on both sides played a very important and key role in the development of this structure. After the war, it was decided that the Revolutionary Guard Army should be restructured and its powers were expanded. During the reign of Ali Khamenei, who came to power after Khomeini's death in 1989, the duties assigned to the guards were further expanded. During this period, the Revolutionary Guard was strengthened, especially in the field of intelligence work.
Today, the Revolutionary Guards Army is shaped on 5 main pillars. This structure, which has land, air and naval forces separate from the Iranian army, has two important legs: the militia structure consisting of volunteers called Besic and the Quds Force Command operating outside Iran. Basij, the militia structure of the Revolutionary Guards, which is estimated to have more than 150 thousand soldiers, is thought to have a volunteer force ranging from 100 thousand to 1 million, and took part in suppressing the anti-regime demonstrations in Iran in 1999, 2009 and 2024-2025. The Revolutionary Guard, which holds Iran's missile power, also takes part in border security and protection of nuclear facilities.
Iranian underground missile base run by the Revolutionary Guard Corps
The Quds Force Command, one of the most important structures of the Revolutionary Guards, is known for operating in the regions defined by Iran as the "Resistance axis". It is known that this structure, which supports Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine, and Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq, also supports the Houthis fighting against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, where conflicts have increased recently. It has often been brought to the fore that the Quds Force, which is known to have supported the Assad administration during the Syrian civil war, used the Syrian route to deliver weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The most important name behind the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's international network was Qasem Soleimani, who led the Quds Force from 1998 until he was killed by the United States in 2020 and was seen as the most powerful person in the country after Khamenei. The assassination of Soleimani caused a great shock to the Revolutionary Guard; So much so that just five days after this incident, the guards shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane taking off from Tehran, mistaking it for a military plane, killing all 176 people on board. The Revolutionary Guard later apologized for this tragic incident.
THEY ALSO HAVE A SAY IN THE ECONOMY AND DAILY LIFE
The activities of the Revolutionary Guards within Iran are not just about trust. This structure, which is responsible for protecting the regime, is known to have a say in many different fields in Iran, from business to politics, from economy to sports. Veterans who have served in this structure in the past hold high-level positions in the government and parliament. According to analysts, in addition to this, people who have served in the guards have an advantage when applying for jobs. The Revolutionary Guards are running campaigns to gain new supporters in many parts of the country through the employment and social assistance they provide in rural parts of the country.
Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force. Soleimani was killed in Iraq in 2020 as a result of a US assassination. Before his death, he was seen by hardliners as a future candidate for Iran's President
It is estimated that the Revolutionary Guards became very powerful economically during the reign of Mahmud Ahmadinejad, who ruled Iran between 2005 and 2013, and thus had a say in many sectors of the Iranian economy. It is estimated that the military structure has half of the earnings from the oil sector. In addition, it is stated that arms sales to Russia due to the Ukraine war, the supply of jet fuel to the junta administration during the civil war in Myanmar, and the "Shadow fleet" system, which allows oil to be sold to China by bypassing US sanctions, also have a role.
When it comes to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, there are some unprecedented situations in the international arena. One of the most notable of these is the definition of the guards by western countries as a "terrorist organization". This situation makes those who communicate with, trade with, or support this structure in Iran "criminals" in these countries. In this context, the first step was taken by the USA in 2019, under the administration of President Trump, and declared the Revolutionary Guard Army as a "terrorist organization". Some officials in the Pentagon and the CIA opposed Trump's move because declaring an official unit of a foreign government a terrorist organization would pose some difficulties. The USA considered removing the Revolutionary Guard from the list during the Biden administration. However, other countries soon followed suit. Canada declared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization in 2024, and the EU declared it a terrorist organization in January 2026, following the harsh repression of protesters in Iran. In total, 23 countries outside the 27 EU member states have designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization; these include Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine.
MANAGEMENT IN 3 KEY NAMES
It is known that most of the senior leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard have been assassinated by the USA and Israel in recent years. However, it is stated that there is no serious problem in the structure of the guards and the most important reason for this is the succession strategy. According to experts, the Iranian administration is proceeding with contingency plans that determine the names that will replace the killed commanders. The top name of the Revolutionary Guards Army is known as the commander-in-chief of the entire structure and works directly under the Religious Leader, and this task is currently held by Ahmed Vahidi, who was previously the Minister of Defense of Iran. Vahidi took over the post after his predecessor, Mohammed Pakpur, was killed by Israel in March. Pakpur took over this position from Hussein Salami, whom Israel killed in the 12-day war in June 2025.
Revolutionary Guard leaders Ahmed Vahidi, Ismail Kaani and Hussein Taeb
Ismail Kaani is the commander of the Quds Force, one of the most important pillars of the Guard structure. Kaani was appointed to this post in 2020 after the killing of Qassem Soleimani. The Basij force, another important pillar of the structure, is led by cleric and former intelligence chief Hüseyin Taeb.
