The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, commonly known as the IRGC, is one of the most powerful institutions in the Iran. Established after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the organization was created to protect Iran’s Islamic government and expand its revolutionary ideology both domestically and abroad. Over time, the IRGC evolved far beyond a traditional military branch, becoming deeply involved in intelligence operations, foreign policy, cyber warfare, regional militias, and economic activities.
At the center of the IRGC’s international operations is the Quds Force, an elite unit tasked with covert operations, foreign partnerships, and proxy warfare. Western governments, including the United States Department of State, have accused the IRGC and its Quds Force of orchestrating or supporting terrorist attacks, assassinations, and militant campaigns across multiple continents over several decades.
Origins of the IRGC
Following the fall of the Shah in 1979, Iran’s revolutionary leadership feared a military coup and sought to create a parallel force loyal to Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini. The IRGC was born out of this effort and quickly became a central pillar of the new regime.
Unlike Iran’s conventional army, the IRGC was designed with ideological and geopolitical objectives. It developed influence over Iran’s missile programs, proxy militias, intelligence networks, and overseas operations. The Quds Force later emerged as the organization responsible for expanding Iranian influence throughout the Middle East and beyond.
Hezbollah and the Expansion of Iranian Influence
One of the IRGC’s earliest and most significant operations occurred in the early 1980s when it helped establish Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iranian advisers and Quds Force operatives trained and armed the group during Lebanon’s civil war.
Hezbollah would eventually become one of the world’s most heavily armed non-state militant organizations and a cornerstone of Iran’s regional strategy. The group has operated as both a political movement and an armed force aligned with Iranian interests.
Major Attacks and Operations Attributed to the IRGC
1983 Beirut Barracks Bombing
In October 1983, suicide bombers attacked U.S. and French military barracks in Beirut. The bombing killed 220 U.S. Marines, 18 U.S. Navy personnel, and 3 U.S. Army soldiers, along with 58 French paratroopers.
U.S. intelligence and later investigations linked the attack to Hezbollah operatives supported and directed by Iran’s IRGC. The attack remains one of the deadliest assaults on U.S. military personnel since World War II.
1992 Israeli Embassy Bombing in Argentina
In March 1992, a bombing destroyed the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people and injuring hundreds more. Argentine and international investigators later accused Hezbollah and Iranian operatives of involvement in the attack.
1994 AMIA Jewish Community Center Bombing
Two years later, another devastating bombing struck the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people. Argentine prosecutors alleged that senior Iranian officials and Hezbollah operatives planned and executed the attack with support from the IRGC.
The AMIA bombing remains the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentina’s history.
1996 Khobar Towers Bombing
In June 1996, a truck bomb exploded outside the Khobar Towers housing complex in Saudi Arabia, killing 19 U.S. Air Force personnel.
American investigators concluded that the attack was carried out by Saudi Hezbollah militants supported and funded by the IRGC and Iranian intelligence services.
The Iraq War and IRGC Proxy Warfare
After the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the IRGC expanded operations inside the country. U.S. military officials accused Iran of supplying Shiite militias with weapons, roadside bombs, rockets, training, and funding.
Particularly deadly were Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs), sophisticated roadside bombs capable of piercing armored vehicles. American military assessments blamed IRGC-backed militias for hundreds of coalition casualties during the Iraq War.
2007 Karbala Raid
In January 2007, militants disguised as American soldiers infiltrated a coordination center in Karbala and killed five U.S. soldiers. U.S. officials later stated that the operation bore the hallmarks of IRGC Quds Force planning and training.
Assassination Plots and Global Operations
2011 Saudi Ambassador Assassination Plot
U.S. authorities revealed a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States in Washington. Prosecutors alleged that IRGC Quds Force operatives attempted to hire criminal contacts connected to a Mexican cartel to carry out the attack.
The plot intensified tensions between Iran and the United States.
2012 International Terror Plots
Throughout 2012, multiple attacks and plots targeting Israeli diplomats and Western interests were disrupted or carried out in countries including Bulgaria, Kenya, and Turkey. Western intelligence agencies linked several of these operations to Hezbollah and the IRGC.
Escalation in the 2020s
2020 Missile Strike on Ain al-Asad Airbase
In January 2020, the IRGC launched ballistic missiles at the Ain al-Asad Airbase in retaliation for the U.S. killing of Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani.
More than 100 U.S. service members were later diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries following the strike.
2022 John Bolton Assassination Plot
The United States Department of Justice announced charges against an IRGC member accused of plotting to assassinate former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton.
According to prosecutors, the plot was allegedly retaliation for the death of Qasem Soleimani.
2022 Killing of Stephen Troell
In November 2022, American citizen Stephen Troell was shot and killed in Baghdad. Iraqi officials later alleged the operation was linked to Iranian-backed militant groups associated with the IRGC.
2023 Drone Strike in Syria
In March 2023, a drone strike targeted a coalition base in northeastern Syria, killing an American contractor and injuring U.S. personnel. U.S. officials linked the attack to Iranian-backed forces operating under IRGC influence.
Proxy Attacks Across the Middle East
Between 2023 and 2024, Iranian-backed militias launched more than 180 rocket and drone attacks against U.S. bases and personnel across Iraq, Syria, and Jordan. Many of these groups receive weapons, intelligence, and strategic guidance from the IRGC.
These proxy organizations include militias in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and armed groups connected to the “Axis of Resistance,” a coalition aligned with Iranian regional goals.
2024 Alleged Plot Against Donald Trump
In late 2024, U.S. federal prosecutors announced murder-for-hire charges involving an alleged IRGC-linked plot targeting Donald Trump. Prosecutors claimed Iranian operatives sought to retaliate against former American officials tied to the Soleimani strike.
Why the IRGC Matters Globally
Today, the IRGC remains one of the most influential military and political organizations in the Middle East. It controls missile forces, oversees proxy militias, and exerts major influence over Iranian foreign policy.
Supporters inside Iran argue the IRGC protects the country from foreign threats and regional instability. Critics, however, accuse it of fueling proxy wars, suppressing dissent, and sponsoring international terrorism through allied militant groups.
Its activities continue to shape conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and beyond, making the IRGC one of the most closely watched and controversial organizations in global geopolitics.
