Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

Components Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Ghods Basij Structure of the Sepah History History of the Sepah Timeline of the Sepah Personnel List of senior officers Officer rank insignia Warrant officer rank insignia Enlisted rank insignia

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (Persian سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی - Sepah Pasdaran Enghaleb Islam-e), often shortened to Revolutionary Guards, or called by its Persian name Sepah, translated to English as Pasdaran, is a military organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It was formed in May, 1979, as a force loyal to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, but later became a full military force along the army in the Iran-Iraq War.

The present Chief Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps is General Rahim Safavi who was preceeded by Mohsen Rezaee. Iran's current hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a member of the Revolutionary Guard.

Sepah is a Persian word meaning "Army," cp. Sepoy.