With the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leading Iran’s military efforts in the Middle East war, Iran’s most powerful armed forces find themselves at the centre of attention—and the subject of many questions. Where did the IRGC come from? What is its current condition? Might it attempt a coup, or even turn its back on the very idea of an Islamic Republic? And, as the war stretches on, is it really the fearsome enemy it seems?
The IRGC was formed immediately after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979; I was one of its founders, having previously been a leader of the student movement against the Shah. The Guards were originally intended to be a people’s army with no more than 5,000 professional personnel, and perhaps ten times as many semi-professional members, serving alongside the regular army in defending the country during times of war. Models such as America’s National Guard or the citizen-based defence forces in countries like Switzerland and Israel were considered as inspirations.