1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
PoliticsIran

Who are Iran's Revolutionary Guards?

01:32

This browser does not support the video element.

Published January 14, 2026last updated January 29, 2026

The "Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps" was created after the 1979 revolution in Iran and is widely seen as being crucial to suppressing recent protests against the regime. Here's a closer look at the IRGC.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has deployed nationwide amid growing protests, stopping cars and checking phones.

The elite force, loyal to the Supreme Leader, controls powerful economic sectors and oversees regional proxies. Despite major losses in US and Israeli strikes, the Revolutionary Guards remain central to Iran's regime — and a key focus of public resentment.

Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW