IRGC Commander: We Have Organized Two Hundred Thousand Forces in Iraq and Syria

Mohammad Ali Jafari, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), referred to the role of the Islamic Republic in "organizing one hundred thousand popular forces" in Iraq and the same number in Syria, as well as the "missile capabilities" of Hezbollah in Lebanon, describing these as "unprecedented successes of the Islamic Revolution." In a detailed interview with the biweekly "Soroush," summarized in Iranian media on Sunday, March 17, he stated that the military actions of the Islamic Republic in the region are successes that "cannot be fully articulated; they are more of a feeling and must be sensed." Jafari mentioned that the Islamic Republic has organized "about one hundred thousand popular forces" in Syria who "resist against ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra and fight with Syrian opponents." Besides sending its military forces to Syria, the Islamic Republic has also organized militias including Syrian, Afghan, Pakistani citizens, and others under titles such as "Zainabiyoun Brigade" and "Fatimiyoun Brigade." Jafari also noted that the Islamic Republic has created "one hundred thousand forces from the people" in Iraq, with some Iranian forces sent to transfer experiences to organize them. He emphasized that "it is our duty to provide them with experiences and empower them in various sectors," adding that "military assistance is demanded by the resistance axis from Iran." The United States has repeatedly labeled Iran's actions in the region, including the military activities of the Islamic Republic in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, as "destructive," citing these actions as reasons for Washington's withdrawal from the JCPOA. Two days before the publication of the IRGC commander's statements, a U.S. State Department official warned again that the Islamic Republic is not concerned with the interests of countries like Iraq and Syria and has no other goal than to dominate these countries. Brian Hook, the senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State on Iran, stated that over the past forty years, the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic has aimed at undermining governments and replacing identities with sectarian ones, violating the sovereignty and independence of regional countries. The European Union has also stated that despite its differences with the U.S. regarding the preservation of the JCPOA, it fully agrees with Washington on Iran's actions in the region. Iranian officials have always denied these accusations, but the IRGC commander recently claimed that "today's capabilities in the region" are among the "successes" of the Islamic Republic. Jafari asserted that Hezbollah's missiles cover all points in Israel, stating that Israel is "completely surrounded and has lost a significant portion of its occupied territory." The U.S. and the U.K. have classified Hezbollah as a "terrorist group," and the European Union has labeled its military wing as "terrorist." Israel has consistently emphasized that it will not allow the Islamic Republic to solidify its military presence in Syria and create a "corridor from Tehran to Beirut" to supply military equipment to Hezbollah. According to Israeli officials, Iranian positions and its allied militias in Syria have been targeted "hundreds of times" in recent years.