War on Iran: How the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps underpins the republic

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The IRGC has been core to Tehran's influence at home and abroad, not least through Quds Force Often called a state within a state, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is a deeply conservative organisation that has underpinned Iran’s establishment for decades and directed much of its response to attacks by the US and Israel this year. Conceived as a protector of the Iranian revolution, the guard has hundreds of thousands of troops who are distinct from Iran’s official army. It is also un