Foundations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ operational doctrine during the liberation of occupied areas in the Sacred Defense period

Rashid, Gholamali; Zahdinasab, Yaghoub; Ghanbari Jahromi, Mohammad Hossein; Ansari, Abdolkarim

Foundations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ operational doctrine during the liberation of occupied areas in the Sacred Defense period

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Gholamali Rashid ¹

Yaghoub Zahdinasab ²

Mohammad Hossein Ghanbari Jahromi ²

Abdolkarim Ansari ³

¹ Faculty member and associate professor of National Defense University

² Assistant Professor, National Defense University

³ PhD student in Strategic Defense Sciences, National Defense University

Abstract

A coherent, logical operational doctrine aligned with the ideals and values of the Revolution, national interests and goals, as well as the country’s existing capacities and capabilities during the Sacred Defense, served as a driving force behind remarkable victories. This doctrine can provide a valuable model for future generations, yet it has received limited attention in terms of management and command of the battlefield and operational arenas and has not been thoroughly examined scientifically.
During the Sacred Defense, alongside the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) took responsibility for planning and conducting operations. Therefore, the unique experiences of commanders and leaders in adopting operational doctrines and strategies—aimed at achieving success amid the difficult and turbulent conditions of war, as well as the constraints imposed by sanctions and international pressures—evolved based on the needs and necessities of the conflict. These experiences can be utilized in potential future wars.
This study employs an applied-developmental research type with a descriptive-analytical method and seeks to answer the question: "What are the foundations of the IRGC’s operational doctrine during the liberation of occupied areas in the Sacred Defense?"

Keywords

Doctrine

Sacred Defense

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

occupied areas