Iran's Revolutionary Guard: Core Pillar of Power and Regional Influence

The IRGC, created in March 1979 to protect the new revolutionary order, functions as a parallel power structure to Iran's elected bodies under supreme leader Ali Khamenei. With over 150,000 active troops and a vast reserve of Basij volunteers, it runs a ground army, air force, navy, the overseas Quds Force and a paramilitary network. Domestically, the corps influences business, politics and social services, securing roughly half of oil sector revenues and directing numerous state contracts.

Through the Quds Force, it funds and equips regional allies like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, extending Tehran's strategic reach. The organization has been labeled a terrorist entity by 23 countries, prompting secondary sanctions that push Iran toward partners such as Russia and China. Despite heavy strikes on its missile and drone capabilities, the IRGC retains enough assets to threaten maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.