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Influence of Iran’s Military: The Revolutionary Guards at the Center of Political Power Tehran — Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has steadily expanded its influence far beyond purely military matters. Today it stands as one of the most powerful institutions in Iran, operating across politics, the economy and regional security. Originally founded to protect the revolution and the new theocratic order, the IRGC has long since become a state within a state. Its commanders occupy key positions in government, its affiliated networks control large segments of industry and construction, and its overseas Quds Force projects Tehran’s influence in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. The Guard’s power rests on several pillars: loyalty to the Supreme Leader, a broad domestic intelligence and security apparatus, and a business empire that includes construction companies, shipping, media and energy sectors. This economic clout creates patronage networks and financial independence that bolster its political role. In the political realm, former IRGC officers hold ministerial posts and seats in parliament, and the organization plays a decisive role in elections, judicial affairs and the suppression of dissent. Critics accuse the IRGC of undermining democratic institutions, while supporters praise it as a guarantor of national sovereignty and stability in a hostile regional environment. Internationally, the Quds Force’s activities have increased Iran’s regional reach but also provoked sanctions and military pressure from the United States, Israel and Gulf states. The dual role of the IRGC — as both a conventional military force and an influential political-economic actor — complicates efforts to isolate it without harming the Iranian population. The debate inside Iran is polarized. Reformists call for limiting the Guard’s economic and political influence and increasing civilian oversight. Conservatives and hardliners argue that the IRGC is essential for defending the revolution and resisting external threats. For many Iranians, the IRGC is simultaneously a source of national pride and a symbol of unaccountable power. As long as the IRGC remains entrenched across Iran’s institutions, it will shape the country’s domestic policies and foreign posture. Any meaningful change would require structural reforms that confront the Guard’s economic interests and its privileged access to political decision-making — a prospect that appears unlikely in the near term.
Hidden power within the state: How the Revolutionary Guards shape Iran The center of power in the political system of the Islamic…