Signs of Internal Strain Emerge Within Iran’s Revolutionary Guards

Image: Jihad Watch

Three weeks after the unprecedented massacre of protesters in Iran—carried out largely by forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its affiliated Basij militia—there are growing indications of unease and internal dissent within segments of the IRGC itself. Reports suggest that some members are increasingly troubled by the continued use of live ammunition against unarmed civilians, revealing cracks within an institution long viewed as unwaveringly loyal to the regime.

One IRGC member, speaking through an intermediary, revealed that he has not reported for duty since Thursday, January 8, and has refused to return due to severe psychological distress and ongoing medical treatment. He stated that although “shoot-to-kill orders” had been issued against protesters, and brutal crackdowns were anticipated on January 8 and 9 and in the days that followed, he was still deeply shaken by the extreme level of violence and brutality inflicted on the public. The officer said the severity of the repression exceeded even what he had been conditioned to expect. Adding to his anguish, he disclosed that members of his own family were among those wounded or who have since disappeared.

Unconfirmed reports further indicate that in recent weeks, the IRGC’s Intelligence Protection Organization—the body responsible for internal security and discipline—has issued confidential directives to commanders. These directives reportedly warn that any refusal to carry out orders, whether from immediate superiors or from the Supreme National Security Council, will be met with severe and immediate punishment.

According to these internal instructions, violators are to be arrested without delay and referred to special military courts. The directives emphasize that disobedience could result in the harshest possible sentences, particularly at a time when the regime is portraying the country as being on the brink of widespread urban unrest or even civil war. The clear message is that loyalty will be enforced through fear.

Beyond these secret orders, the IRGC Intelligence Organization also issued an unprecedented public statement immediately following the January 8 uprising. The statement warned against any “insubordination, desertion, or disobedience” within the armed forces and threatened prosecution and “decisive action” against those who fail to comply.

Such a public warning strongly suggests that the leadership is responding to real and growing problems within its own ranks. While there has not yet been the mass desertion of IRGC and army personnel that some opposition supporters had hoped for, there is a steady, ongoing trickle of soldiers refusing to report for duty—particularly within the regular army. This slow but persistent erosion of discipline reflects the moral and psychological toll that the crackdown is taking on Iran’s security forces.

The human cost of the repression continues to fuel public anger and despair. Negin Ghadimi, a 28-year-old student, was shot by IRGC forces in Shahsavar in northern Iran. Reports state that security personnel prevented her from being taken to a hospital, and she ultimately died in her father’s arms. Her death has become one of many tragic symbols of the regime’s ruthless response.

Stories like that of Negin Ghadimi—of young people killed at close range and dying in the arms of their families—are spreading rapidly among ordinary Iranians. By the thousands, such accounts circulate through communities and social networks, deepening public outrage and swelling the ranks of protesters. At the same time, these same stories are demoralizing soldiers and security personnel, some of whom are increasingly unwilling to participate in what they see as the slaughter of their own people.

However, for protesters to once again summon the courage to return to the streets in the millions and face live fire, the text argues that they would need firm and unequivocal assurance of decisive international intervention. In particular, it claims that protesters would need absolute confidence that the United States would move to neutralize the regime’s leadership—including the supreme leader and the IRGC high command—at the moment large-scale protests resume.

The responsibility, according to this view, lies with Donald Trump. The text asserts that he has disappointed Iranian protesters in the past by promising support and then failing to act. It argues that another such disappointment could further crush the hopes of those risking their lives in opposition to the regime, and that he cannot afford to let them down again.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)