TEHRAN, July 12 — For communities across Asia and the broader Middle East, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains a powerful and often destabilising force, operating as a state-within-a-state that answers only to Iran’s Supreme Leader. Established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the IRGC was created to protect the regime, but its reach now extends far beyond Iran’s borders, touching conflicts in Syria and Yemen that have drawn in regional powers and displaced countless families. The IRGC is not a typical military branch.
It operates its own navy, air force, and ground forces, with an estimated 190,000 active personnel as of 2024, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. This parallel military structure bypasses the regular chain of command, reporting directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has held power since 1989.
The IRGC Navy, with about 20,000 personnel, controls Iran’s coastal defense and missile systems, including anti-ship missiles like the Noor and Khalij Fars. For families living along the Gulf, these capabilities have direct implications for maritime security and the freedom of navigation that underpins regional trade.
A direct threat to a global chokepoint
One of the most alarming scenarios for the global economy involves the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes. The IRGC’s commander, Major General Hossein Salami, born in 1960, has publicly threatened to close the strait in response to sanctions. For communities across Asia, from the Philippines to Japan, any disruption to this chokepoint would mean higher energy prices and potential shortages, affecting everything from transport costs to household electricity bills.
The IRGC’s control over anti-ship missiles like the Noor and Khalij Fars makes this threat credible, not just rhetorical. The United States has designated the IRGC a terrorist organization since April 2019, a move that carries significant legal and financial consequences for any entity that does business with the group.
This designation reflects the IRGC’s involvement not only in military operations but also in Iran’s ballistic missile program, which the group controls. The IRGC has been a key player in conflicts in Syria, where it has supported the Assad regime, and in Yemen, where it has provided support to Houthi rebels. These conflicts have created humanitarian crises that ripple across the region, with families fleeing violence and facing food insecurity.
Economic power and infrastructure control
Beyond its military might, the IRGC wields enormous economic influence through its engineering arm, Khatam al-Anbia Construction Headquarters. This conglomerate oversees major infrastructure projects inside Iran, from dams and pipelines to railways and tunnels. For ordinary Iranians, this means that the IRGC has a direct hand in the roads they drive on and the water they use.
The group’s economic power also allows it to reward loyalists and punish dissent, entrenching its role in every aspect of Iranian life. For communities across the region, the IRGC’s dual military-economic structure makes it a uniquely formidable actor, one that is difficult to counter through conventional diplomatic or military means alone.
Looking ahead, the IRGC’s activities will continue to shape the security landscape of the Middle East and beyond. With the US administration under President Donald Trump maintaining a policy of maximum pressure on Iran, the IRGC’s response to sanctions and its threats to the Strait of Hormuz will be closely watched by governments and families alike. The group’s ballistic missile program, its support for proxy forces, and its control over key infrastructure mean that any escalation could have immediate and severe consequences for global energy markets and regional stability.
For communities across Asia, the question is not whether the IRGC will act, but how far it will go.
