Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces

The Guardians of the Islamic Revolution Ground Forces was officially established on 5 May 1979. It was conceived as a popular militia force to monitor the remainders of the Shah's Artesh and defend the Islamic Revolution (such as against Nojeh coup plot). However, the official establishment followed several months of activity of the Revolutionary Guards. In early days, IRGC units seemed to operate independently and in different capacities in different locations. The Iran–Iraq war forged the identities of the IRGC, Basij, and other associated organizations. Instead of demobilizing IRGC and Basij, Iranian leadership maintained and expanded their mobilization, particularly in extra-military sectors. In 1989, the IRGC lost its ministry and was merged with the Artesh in the Ministry of Defence and Armed Force Logistics as part of a Rafsanjani's policy aimed at reforming and consolidating the state control over governmental institutions. The IRGC even received a military ranks system. Between 1990 and 1995 the Basij Resistance Force was supported by new Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei against the Ground Forces of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution in equipment allocations. The Basij supplanted the IRGC also in guarding sensitive buildings and installations. However, Supreme Leader Khamanei managed to forge in the early 1990s a solid alliance with the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution; in the late 1990s, during the Mohammad Khatami's presidency, the IRGC provided the conservative faction considerable resources in the usage of force in combating perceived political threats. During the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005–2013), the IRGC was increased its influence in Middle East (in Lebanon but especially with Shiite stakeholders in Iraq), but also in Chavez's Venezuela. In 2009 Basij military responsibilities (including Basij military training) were transferred back to the Ground Forces of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution in order to free the former and let it to concentrate on cultural struggle. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been involved in active support to Syria since early stages of the Syrian Civil War; while the initial instrument of support was the Qods Force, Tehran subsequently deployed IRGC Ground Forces to Syria. In 2017, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, IRGC Ground Forces Commander, stated that the NESZA set up a drone centre. == Organization ==

Across their 38 years-long history, the IRGC Ground Forces underwent to several organizational changes. From 2007 until 2015, they were organized in territorial commands in order to ensure defence against ground invasion and decapitation strikes, as well as to counter internal unrest. Alongside territorial commands, the IRGC Ground Forces also have conventional formations. == Operational organization ==

According to Anthony Cordesman and Bryan Gold, the IRGC Ground Forces control the Basij and strictly cooperate with Basij's Imam Hossein Brigades. , Yuz armored car, Rakhsh APC (tracked), Rakhsh APC (wheeled). , the latest variant of the Iranian copy of the American anti-tank missile TOW Due to the involvement of the IRGC Ground Forces in the Syrian Civil War, Divisions and Brigades The IRGC also maintains a structure of infantry and armoured formations. NEZSA also include artillery and engineer units and an airborne brigade. The IRGC Ground Forces have recently announced efforts to form an air assault unit. Some IRGC Ground Forces have a readiness preparation higher than others. The Imam Hussein battalions are mixed IRGC-Basij units, with one battalion assigned to each region within a province. Imam Hussein battalions are infantry units used for internal military defence as well as for missions beyond Iranian borders. Imam Hossein Battalions deployed to Syria with IRGC operational division and brigade cadres. Alongside Imam Hussein battalions, each Provincial command establishes at least one Basij Fatehin unit in its own boundary. While being light infantry units, Fatehin units have also been used as anti-riot force multipliers to law enforcement. Saberin Unit The IRGC Ground Forces have several elite units that form one single unit at a brigade level, the Saberin Unit, established in 2000. The Saberin Unit is a force highly trained in a number of specialized capabilities. Some IRGC divisions and brigades have separate Saberin units directly subordinated to them. The IRGC has also designated certain formations as light infantry commandos, or takavaran. In 2017 the NESZA set up a drone centre. The Saberin Unit ranks its commandos according to three levels: • Rapid Response (Vakonesh-e Sarie); • Special Force (Nirooy-e Vijeh); • Special Operations Force (Nirooy-e Makhsoos). Aviation Unit drone The Aviation Unit (Yegan-e Havanirooz) of the IRGC Ground Forces is the IRGC's most important helicopter unit. It was established in 2015, by order of Ali Khamenei. The Aviation Unit consists of four subdivisions: • Advanced Aviation Training Center; • Helicopter Research Center; • Helicopter Professional Repair Center; • Seyyed-al-Shohada Aviation Base. == Territorial organization ==

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces have a territorial organization in charge of activities and operations. This organization has multiple layers: multi-provincial regional headquarters, provincial headquarters, commands for each county, district commands for each bakhsh (township), and a local Basij base for each neighborhood. According to Saeid Golkar, this arrangement should constitute a system directly parallelling the state's administrative system. and doubles as Headquarters with territorial responsibilities. Officially, Thar-Allah's commander is the same as the IRGC commander. The Thar-Allah Headquarters, however, also has a deputy commander in charge of day-to-day operations. Headquarters The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces maintain ten regional headquarters (Gharargah), with the Sar-Allah headquarters in charge for Tehran and Alborz provinces as well as Tehran City. These headquarters are responsible for coordinating the activities of both operational and territorial units, being similar to corps-level commands. These new command centers are intended to operate flexibly and independently from Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces structure includes 32 separate territorial commands. These territorial commands, styled "Corps" (Sepah), have been established in 2008. They are part of the four-layered military doctrine for the defence of Iran. The Provincial Guard was created to take over the IRGC's responsibilities on the provincial level against any and all threats as well as to enforce and coordinate re-islamization processes in Iran through social welfare programmes. Provincial units are composed of the natives of the province in which the IRGC Ground Force members serve. The territorial commands are 31 Provincial commands and a Tehran city command for a total of 32 commands. The provincial commands are under direct control and supervision of the IRGC commander, but the Basij are responsible for planning, supporting them logistically, and inspecting their functions. The Provincial commands do not form an independent command of their own, and as such does not have an independent line in Iran's annual state budget. Financing of provincial commands activity comes from both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces and Basij. Each Provincial command is composed of three main branches: • Military command; • Counterintelligence: primarily responsible for protecting the IRGC personnel against both physical and moral threats and identifying foreign espionage; • Office of the Representative of the Supreme Leader: responsible for mobilizing, the IRGC and the Basij. The main anti-riot units are Imam Ali Battalions, consisting of both cadre and full members. Imam Ali battalions are responsible for suppressing internal unrest, maintaining public order and for security patrols in the neighborhoods where they operate. Each Imam Ali battalion has a motorcycle unit for rapid deployment purposes. Administratively, an Imam Ali battalion aligns with the Basij district. Imam Ali battalions have their training, education, and logistics centrally coordinated through the Imam Ali Headquarters. Imam Ali battalions in each city have a close relationship with the Iranian police and receive specific anti-riot equipment and training. Since September 2012, the IRGC and Basij have established small Basij-only Beit al-Muqaddas battalions (for male Basiji) and Kowsar battalions (for female Basiji). These battalions consist of 234 active Basij members in each district. These units are designed to fulfill support roles: • Around 1,000 of these units are assigned to support Imam Ali riot battalions; • Around 500 Beit al-Muqaddas (i.e. male-only) battalions are assigned to support Imam Hussein infantry battalions in their military and defence missions in their local area; • Around 500 battalions are mainly trained for relief and rescue missions under the operational command of the Imam Hadi Headquarters. Each Provincial command also has a cyberspace division responsible for directing pro-government online voices as well as producing cyberspace propaganda in their own boundary. The intelligence department in each provincial command is directly subordinate to the IRGC Intelligence Organization. == Commanders ==