IRGC developments

Fars news in Persian reports on recent changes in the IRGC, all of which are part of the organization's current restructuring effort.

Ali Fazli has been appointed the commander of the new Sayyed al-Shohada unit for Tehran province. This is a plum appointment for Fazli, who is the former deputy commander of the IRGC. Morteza Shanehsazzadeh, the former commander of Tehran's Basij unit, will serve as Fazli's deputy.

IRGC Commander Jafari also appointed Abdollah Araqi as the new commander of the IRGC's greater Tehran unit, known as the Mohammad Rasulollah Corps. Araqi replaces Brig-Gen Javad Khazrai-Rad.

Jafari, who has been streamlining the organization's command structure, mentions that Fazli's appointment represents a strengthening of the IRGC's provincial role. The Revolutionary Guards are establishing 31 new provincial units that will oversee all Basij and IRGC forces in their specific region.

Another new unit is the Sarollah Corps--("Vengeance of God")--which will oversee IRGC and Basij forces in Kerman province. This unit, which will be led by Commander Ruhollah Nuri and deputy commander Gholam-Ali Abu-Hamzeh, is another part of Jafari's effort to strengthen the IRGC's provincial presence and decentralize its command structure.

Guards spokesman Shushtari suggests that these new provincial units are designed to help the IRGC and Basij better prepare for defending against "foreign threats" by bringing these organizations into closer "harmony" with one another. Commander Jafari earlier brought the Basij directly under his command and the new provincial commands is yet another step in bringing these forces together.


The Basij militia has established a new organization which aims to develop the minds and talents of its promising members. Named the Basij Scientific Organization, it will oversee the training of Basij university students and will be housed at the IRGC-aligned Imam Hosayn University.

The Basij have also established another organization which will provide security for tourism, camping, and visitors to the battlefields (and other sites) associated with the Iran-Iraq war.