The Structure of Iran’s Armed Forces and the IRGC–Army Relationship
Key Takeaways - Artesh, which literally means "army," is a branch of Iran’s armed forces that surpasses the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in both manpower and conventional firepower. - Army’s Pahlavi-era origins, coupled with the fact that many of its senior officers had received training in the US, fostered suspicion among the revolutionaries in terms of its fidelity and in the aftermath of the 1979 Revolution, certain measures were swiftly undertaken to restructure it into a force loyal to the emerging Islamic Republic. - Established in April 1979 as a militia force tasked with maintaining public order and safeguarding the revolution in its immediate aftermath, the IRGC gradually developed in parallel to Army and eventually came to possess its own ministry, distinct from the Ministry of Defense. - During the Iran–Iraq War, significant rivalries and tensions emerged between the Army and the IRGC, particularly over issues of command, control, and mi...