Japanese Media Analysis: What Kind of Organization is the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?

According to a report by Reference News Network on March 18, the Japanese Asahi Shimbun website published an article on March 14 titled "What Kind of Organization is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps That Announced the 'Blockade' of the Strait of Hormuz?" The authors are Keita Tamano and Yoshiyuki Ohno. The translation is as follows:

As a military organization of Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has participated in the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital lifeline for global energy supply (especially crude oil). The IRGC wields significant influence in political and economic spheres and is often described by outsiders as "the strongest organization in Iran." There are also views suggesting that, given the close relationship between the IRGC and Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the organization is expected to further enhance its power in the future. What kind of organization is the IRGC?

(1) Military Strength

The IRGC is a military organization independent of Iran's regular armed forces, comprising branches such as the army, navy, and air force. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) report "Military Balance 2026" indicates that the IRGC has a personnel strength of approximately 190,000, while Iran's regular armed forces have about 420,000 personnel.

Ballistic missiles are the cornerstone of Iran's defense strategy. Iran has the capability to independently manufacture such weapons, with the IRGC responsible for their research, development, and operational deployment.

Additionally, the IRGC is responsible for overseeing military operations in the Strait of Hormuz region. In early March of this year, as tensions escalated between Iran and the United States and Israel, it was a senior IRGC official who first explicitly announced the "blockade" of the Strait of Hormuz. Subsequently, Iran launched a series of attacks against vessels navigating in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters.

The elite unit of the IRGC, the Quds Force, has a strength of about 5,000 personnel and is specifically tasked with conducting foreign military operations. It provides support to pro-Iranian armed groups throughout the Middle East, including Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthi movement in Yemen.

(2) Political Influence

In 1979, Ruhollah Khomeini led the Islamic Revolution, overthrowing the pro-American monarchy. Distrustful of the regular army that had supported the monarchy, Khomeini established the IRGC that same year to maintain a governance system based on revolutionary ideology. During the eight-year Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the IRGC served as the core combat force, further solidifying its military organization attributes.

During Ali Khamenei's era, he relied heavily on the IRGC, using it as a pillar of his power base. Furthermore, individuals with IRGC backgrounds began to enter government and parliamentary positions, significantly enhancing the organization's political influence.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected President of Iran in 2005, marking the first time a person with an IRGC background held the presidency. Within the existing system, individuals with IRGC backgrounds continue to occupy high-ranking positions in the national governance structure, such as Ali Larijani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council responsible for overseeing foreign and security policy.

At the same time, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was elected as the new Supreme Leader, served in the IRGC during the Iran-Iraq War and is said to still maintain close ties with the organization.

(3) Maintaining Public Order

The IRGC has a volunteer militia organization known as the "Basij" (Mobilization of the Oppressed). This organization was initially established to address manpower shortages during the Iran-Iraq War and has gradually evolved into an auxiliary force for the IRGC. It is estimated that its mobilization capacity can reach about 600,000 personnel.

Members of this organization typically live as ordinary civilians and are believed to play a role in monitoring anti-government activities. According to reports from Western media, during the nationwide protests that erupted at the end of last year, members of this organization suppressed demonstrators.

(4) Economic Activities

It is well known that the IRGC engages in economic activities across various sectors. Data provided by institutions such as the Washington Institute for Near East Policy indicates that since the early 2000s, the IRGC has expanded its business into multiple fields, including construction, energy, finance, and telecommunications through related enterprises.

It is reported that the profits generated from these economic activities are used to procure weapons and advance missile development. According to estimates from some Western media and think tanks, the scale of the IRGC's economic activities accounts for as much as 20% to 40% of Iran's national economy. (Translation by Ma Xiaoyun)