Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
An Iranian military force and a Shiite Islamist terrorist organization established in 1979, following the revolution. Its primary role is to protect the current terrorist regime in the country and serve Iran’s interests in foreign countries. The organization is part of the Islamic Republic’s armed forces.
The organization is subject to numerous international sanctions and comprises approximately 250,000 soldiers stationed in regional headquarters, including the Basij and the Ground Forces. Its extensive deployment allows for rapid and brutal force projection. Its activities include funding terrorism, military training, organizing and conducting military operations, supplying weapons, and even carrying out independent terrorist acts.
Quds Force
The elite unit of the Revolutionary Guards, responsible for special and covert operations outside Iran’s borders, particularly for the armament, funding, establishment, and equipping of Shiite Islamist terrorist organizations.
The Force is also responsible for gathering military intelligence required for planning and executing various attacks against a wide range of targets and objectives worldwide.
Ayatollah
A very high religious rank in Shiite Islam awarded to Shiite leaders. It is attained by religious scholars with the authority to interpret laws and issue religious rulings. In some countries, particularly Iran, Ayatollahs also wield significant political power, thus influencing policy and military decisions.
Ministry
The central intelligence body of the Iranian regime, directly subordinate to the leader of the terrorist regime. The organization is responsible for intelligence gathering, monitoring Iranian citizens, suppressing regime opponents, and conducting terrorist and espionage activities abroad – sometimes in cooperation with proxies and organizations in the Middle East.
‘Al-Qard Al-Hasan’
An association that has served for years as a central civilian financial institution in Lebanon, but in practice uses funds from citizens deposited through it to provide financial services to Hezbollah and its operatives for terrorist purposes.
Air Superiority
An operational state in which one force has effective control of the airspace in the theater of operations. In this state, the Air Force operates with relative freedom to conduct strikes, gather intelligence, and support ground forces, while limiting the enemy’s ability to operate aircraft and aerial assets.
The Basij
The Resistance Force is a paramilitary volunteer militia established by order of Ayatollah Khomeini and is under the command of the Revolutionary Guards. The Basij utilizes civilian structures, including mosques and educational institutions, in its efforts to spy on the population on behalf of the regime, suppress protests, enforce the strict rule in various provinces, and conduct ideological indoctrination.
Internal Security Forces
This body is directly subordinate to the Supreme Leader and enables direct suppression of the population – through violent dispersal of protests, arrests, and even massacres. The Internal Security Forces operate police units and enforce the Islamic code in the country, and are identified by their black uniforms and masks that conceal their identities.
Part of their responsibilities includes dispersing demonstrations, making arrests, taking control of traffic routes, and securing facilities. They massacred protesters during the wave of protests in December-January.
Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) Attacks
Attacks targeting the enemy’s surface-to-surface missile array. Their purpose is to strike launchers, missile depots, and launch infrastructure, with the aim of reducing or thwarting the capability to fire at Israel.
Area Clearance
An operation conducted after an attack or the impact of a missile/security incident. During this operation, security forces and emergency personnel scan the area to ensure there are no further casualties or dangers – such as unexploded ordnance, explosives, shrapnel, etc.
Planetary Mixers
A device used for processing and mixing chemical compounds in laboratories, which rotates around a bowl similar to a planet orbiting the sun. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards use them to produce solid fuel, critical equipment for long-range missiles.