The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is a branch of the Iranian military. While the Iranian Army is the Islamic Republic's traditional military, the IRGC is focused on ensuring Iran's "integrity," which is often interpreted as meeting Tehran's foreign objectives as well as safeguarding the country from foreign interference.
The IRGC is made up of five core branches: The Ground Forces, which focus on putting down internal dissent as well as projecting power abroad; the Aerospace Force, which operates aircraft, missiles, and satellites; the Navy, which uses fast attack boats for asymmetric hit-and-run tactics; the Quds Force, which focuses on military intelligence and extraterritorial operations; and the Basij, a volunteer paramilitary group.
Its current leader is Maj.-Gen. Hossein Salami.
Mohsen Sazegara, who set up the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, has spent the past 20 years living in the US after he became a dissident against the Iranian regime.
Sources in Iran are speculating about possible internal power struggles between Pezeshkian's newly ascendant faction and the IRGC, with both trying to set the tone for the new regime.
The Al-Araby report concluded that "In the absence of a comprehensive official narrative, the execution of Ismail Haniyeh's assassination remains mysterious."
The original plan was to allegedly assassinate Haniyeh while attending the funeral of former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in May.
Iran’s revenge mode is intended to prepare the ground for what comes next; its goal is to basically telegraph to the region what it will do.
"Terrorist groups like Hamas and their backers, including Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), cannot be allowed to speak for all Muslims or Islam."
As the world grapples with the challenges of maintaining equilibrium, understanding the Quds Force’s detrimental influence on global peace is paramount.
According to the report, the eliminated operative had caused damage to Jewish centers in Germany.
Iranian media showed a video of what they claimed were quiet scenes around the country, trying to show that very little had actually happened.
The UK has already imposed sanctions on the IRGC and some of its commanders, preventing them from opening bank accounts or engaging in financial transactions in the UK.