Country Report on Terrorism 2024 - Chapter 4 - Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Aka:  IRGC; the Iranian Revolutionary Guards; IRG; the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution; AGIR; Pasdarn-e Enghelab-e Islami; Sepah-e Pasdaran Enghelab Islami; Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enghelab-e Eslami; Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami; Pasdaran-e Inqilab; Revolutionary Guards; Revolutionary Guard; Sepah; Pasdaran; Sepah Pasdaran; Islamic Revolutionary Corps; Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps; Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps; Islamic Revolutionary Guards; Iran’s Revolutionary Guards; Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution.

Description:  The IRGC was designated as an FTO on April 15, 2019.  Founded in 1979, the IRGC plays a central role in Iran’s use of terrorism as a key tool to support its efforts to deter and counter its perceived foes and project power in the Middle East.  The organization comprised several sub-departments, including the IRGC Ground Forces, the IRGC Air Force, the IRGC Navy, the Basij, the IRGC Intelligence Organization, and the IRGC-QF.  The IRGC – primarily through its Qods Force –has been directly involved in terrorist plotting worldwide; its support for terrorism was foundational and institutional, and it has killed U.S. citizens.

Founded in 1979, the IRGC has since gained a substantial role in executing Iran’s foreign policy and wields control over vast segments of the economy.  The IRGC-QF provides guidance, training, funding, and weapons to partners and proxies throughout the Middle East, including Hizballah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, and Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq and Syria.  The organization’s support to these nonstate armed groups in the region helps Iran compensate for its relatively weak conventional military forces and increases its ability to further destabilize the region.  Answering directly to the supreme leader, the IRGC was influential in domestic politics, and many senior officials have passed through its ranks.

Activities:  IRGC operatives pursued or supported terrorist attacks against Israeli targets in 2024, including a retaliatory attack involving more than 180 missiles for the deaths of Hamas and Hizballah top leaders.

Strength:  The IRGC has up to 190,000 personnel, including the IRGC-QF, which comprises an estimated 5,000 to 15,000.

Location/Area of Operation:  With its base in Iran, components of the IRGC have operated throughout the Middle East region.  Additionally, the IRGC-QF has plotted and conducted covert operations worldwide.

Funding and External Aid:  The IRGC receives up to 50 percent of the Iranian defense budget.  IRGC-linked companies reportedly control up to 20 percent of Iran’s economy.  The IRGC continues to engage in large-scale illicit financing schemes and money laundering to fund its malign activities.

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