Iran's Revolutionary Guard

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Publisher : Potomac Books, Inc.
ISBN 13 : 1597977012
Total Pages : 289 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (979 download)

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Book Synopsis Iran's Revolutionary Guard by : Steven O'Hern

Download or read book Iran's Revolutionary Guard written by Steven O'Hern and published by Potomac Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2012-10-31 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the Iranian Revolution more than thirty years ago, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Revolutionary Guard, has conducted covert and overt military operations, built an economic empire, and trained, financed, and guided terrorists to pursue one goalùthe preservation and expansion of the Islamic revolution. Inside Iran the IRGC influences the country's politics, economy, and foreign policy, and controls its nuclear program. Outside Iran the operations of the IRGC and its proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Shiite militias in Iraq, have left a trail of deathùfrom the 1983 truck bombings in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. peacekeepers and 58 French paratroopers to numerous attacks on U.S. (and allied) troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, no longer content to strike in Iraq and Afghanistan or at targets in the Middle East and south Asia, the IRGC and Hezbollah operate throughout North and South America, developing the capability to strike the continental United States and deliver a blow to America's economy far worse than today's financial crisis. In Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Steven O'Hern reveals new information about the IRGC and Hezbollah operations inside America based on interviews with former and active members of the FBI, CIA, local law enforcement, military intelligence, and even one former Revolutionary Guard officer. The author details how the IRGC has grown into such a dangerous foe and explains how its members' activities have put the American economy and American lives at risk. His research suggests that the IRGC may be planning to explode, high above a Midwestern city, a nuclear weapon that would emit an electromagnetic pulse strong enough to render anything with a computer chip useless, including the hundreds of transformers that control the country's electrical grid. One thing is certain, according to O'Hern: the Revolutionary Guard is a serious threat to the well-being of all U.S. citizens.

Temperature Rising

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Author :
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1538121743
Total Pages : 227 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (381 download)

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Book Synopsis Temperature Rising by : Nader Uskowi

Download or read book Temperature Rising written by Nader Uskowi and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2018-11-09 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Iran is a country at war – in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. The founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini, always told audiences that the revolution was not about Iran, but the whole region. To establish an arc of Shia influence across the Middle East, the Islamic Republic created the Quds Force, the extraterritorial branch of its Revolutionary Guards. Hundreds of thousands of Shia youths were recruited, trained, armed, and organized in militia groups across the region. The book tells the story of how the Quds Force and its Shia militias fought on the three fronts to advance the Islamic Republic’s militant interpretation of Shia Islam and create a contiguous land corridor linking Iran through Iraq to Syria, Lebanon, and the Israeli northern fronts. The Iran-led operations are creating enormous political and security challenges for the Sunni Arabs and all regional powers, creating further instabilities in an already turbulent Middle East, with specters of direct military conflicts looming, pitting Iran against the Arab states and Israel.

The Revolutionary Guards in Iranian Politics

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Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317525639
Total Pages : 293 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (175 download)

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Book Synopsis The Revolutionary Guards in Iranian Politics by : Bayram Sinkaya

Download or read book The Revolutionary Guards in Iranian Politics written by Bayram Sinkaya and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-06-19 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has been dubbed the ‘kingmaker’ in recent studies of Iranian politics, precipitating heated debates surrounding the potential militarization of the Iranian regime and giving rise to paradoxical understandings of the IRGC; whether as a military institution entering politics, or a political institution with a military history. Revolutionary Guards in Iranian Politics offers a way out of this paradox by showing that the IRGC is not a recently politicized institution, but has instead been highly politicized since its inception. It identifies the ways in which the IRGC relates to national political dynamics, examines the factors contributing to this relationship, and its implications on Iranian politics from the revolution up to the present day. The book examines the three decades following the revolution, uncovering the reasons behind the rise of the Revolutionary Guards and tracking the organization’s evolving relationship with politics. Establishing a theoretical framework from revolution and civil-military relations theories, this book provides new perspectives on the relationship between the IRGC and Iranian politics. This book would be of interest to students and scholars of Middle East Studies and Iranian Studies, in particular Iranian Politics.

The Pasdaran

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780981971292
Total Pages : 132 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (712 download)

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Book Synopsis The Pasdaran by : Emanuele Ottolenghi

Download or read book The Pasdaran written by Emanuele Ottolenghi and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami) is more commonly known as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), or the Pasadran. Sworn by an oath of loyalty to Iran's Supreme Leader, the IRGC is the regime's Praetorian Guard, the custodian of its nuclear program, and now a juggernaut in Iran's economy. Since 1979, the Guards have played a key role in protecting the Revolution internally against domestic opposition while actively seeking to export it abroad. The IRGC has been at the forefront of repression every time ordinary Iranians have protested their lack of freedoms, including after the fraudulent presidential elections of June 2009. Iran's sponsorship of terrorism abroad is also executed through the IRGC's overseas operations' branch, the Qods Forces. In The Pasdaran: Inside Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Emanuele Ottolenghi offers a detailed overview of how the IRGC came into being, how the Guards rose to a position of prominence in Iran's current power structure, how they have penetrated Iran's economy, how they are working to help Iran attain nuclear weapons, and why they will likely play a key role in Iran for decades to come.

The Military in Post-Revolutionary Iran

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Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317430735
Total Pages : 366 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (174 download)

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Book Synopsis The Military in Post-Revolutionary Iran by : Hesam Forozan

Download or read book The Military in Post-Revolutionary Iran written by Hesam Forozan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-10-14 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, also known as the 'Sepah', has wielded considerable and increasing power in Iran in recent decades. Established in 1979 by Ayatollah Khomeini as a paramilitary organisation charged with protecting the nascent Islamic regime and countering the untrustworthy Imperial army (or 'Artesh'), the Sepah has evolved into one of the most powerful political, ideological, military and economic players in Iran over recent years. The Sepah is entrusted with a diverse set of indoctrination apparatus, training programmes and system welfare provisions intended to broaden support for the regime. Although established as a paramilitary organisation, the Sepah developed to have its own ministry, complex bureaucracy and diversified functions, alongside its own network and personnel. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the Sepah and its role. It examines the position of the Sepah in Iranian state and society, explores the nature of the Sepah's involvement in politics, and discusses the impact of the Sepah's political rise on Iran's economy and foreign policy. Contemporary Iran can only be fully understood by an awareness of the ongoing in-fighting among regime factions and increasing popular demands for social change – knowing about the Sepah is central to all this.

The Warriors Of Islam

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Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000306968
Total Pages : 175 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (3 download)

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Book Synopsis The Warriors Of Islam by : Kenneth Katzman

Download or read book The Warriors Of Islam written by Kenneth Katzman and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-07-11 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book shows that the revolutionary guard has resisted professionalization on the key aspect of war decision making. It explains how the Guard was able to resist ideological dilution despite its need to adopt a rationalized and complex organizational structure.

The Unfinished History of the Iran-Iraq War

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Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108787185
Total Pages : 321 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (87 download)

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Book Synopsis The Unfinished History of the Iran-Iraq War by : Annie Tracy Samuel

Download or read book The Unfinished History of the Iran-Iraq War written by Annie Tracy Samuel and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-10-21 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), founded after the Iranian revolution in 1979, is one of the most powerful and prominent but least understood organizations in Iran. In this book, Annie Tracy Samuel presents an innovative and compelling history of this organization and, by using the Iran-Iraq War as a focal point, analyzes the links between war and revolution. Tracy Samuel provides an internal view of the IRGC by examining how the Revolutionary Guards have recorded and assessed the history of the war in the massive volume of Persian language publications produced by the organization's top members and units. This not only enhances our comprehension of the IRGC's roles and power in contemporary Iran, but also demonstrates how the history of the Iran-Iraq War has immense bearing on the Islamic Republic's present and future. In doing so, the book reveals how analyzing Iran's history provides the critical tools for understanding its actions today.

Vanguard of the Imam

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Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199387893
Total Pages : 321 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (993 download)

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Book Synopsis Vanguard of the Imam by : Afshon Ostovar

Download or read book Vanguard of the Imam written by Afshon Ostovar and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Iran's Revolutionary Guards are one of the most important forces in the Middle East today, but remain poorly understood to outside observers. In Vanguard of the Imam, Afshon Ostovar has written the first comprehensive history of the organization. Situating the rise of the Guards in the contexts of Shiite Islam, Iranian history, and international affairs, Ostovar takes a multifaceted approach in demystifying the organization and detailing its evolution since 1979. The book documents the Guards transformation into a power-player and explores why the group matters now more than ever to regional and global affairs. It is simultaneously a history of modern Iran, and an engrossing entryway into the complex world of war, politics, and identity in the Middle East"--

Empire of Terror

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Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
ISBN 13 : 164012313X
Total Pages : 324 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (41 download)

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Book Synopsis Empire of Terror by : Mark Silinsky

Download or read book Empire of Terror written by Mark Silinsky and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2021-07 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps increasingly poses an existential threat to Western security and to Sunni and the few non-Muslim civilizations remaining in the Middle East. Empire of Terror captures this. It will update current academic literature and provide insights gained from the Author's 35 years as an analyst in the U.S. Defense Intelligence Community"--

Vanguard of the Imam

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Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 019049171X
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Vanguard of the Imam by : Afshon Ostovar

Download or read book Vanguard of the Imam written by Afshon Ostovar and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-03-03 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Iran's Revolutionary Guards are one of the most important forces in the Middle East today. As the appointed defender of Iran's revolution, the Guards have evolved into a pillar of the Islamic Republic and the spearhead of its influence. Their sway has spread across the Middle East, where the Guards have overseen loyalist support to Bashar al-Assad in Syria and been a staunch backer in Iraq's war against ISIS-bringing its own troops, Lebanon's Hezbollah, and Shiite militias to the fight. Links to terrorism, human rights abuses, and the suppression of popular democracy have shrouded the Revolutionary Guards in controversy. In spite of their prominence, the Guards remain poorly understood to outside observers. In Vanguard of the Imam, Afshon Ostovar has written the first comprehensive history of the organization. Situating the rise of the Guards in the larger contexts of Shiite Islam, modern Iranian history, and international affairs, Ostovar takes a multifaceted approach in demystifying the organization and detailing its evolution since 1979. Politics, power, and religion collide in this story, wherein the Revolutionary Guards transform from a rag-tag militia established in the midst of revolutionary upheaval into a military and covert force with a global reach. The Guards have been fundamental to the success of the Islamic revolution. The symbiotic relationship between them and Iran's clerical rulers underpins the regime's nearly unshakeable system of power. The Guards have used their privileged position at home to export Iran's revolution beyond its borders, establishing client armies in their image and extending Iran's strategic footprint in the process. Ostovar tenaciously documents the Guards' transformation into a power-player and explores why the group matters now more than ever to regional and global affairs. The book simultaneously serves as a history of modern Iran, and provides a crucial and engrossing entryway into the complex world of war, politics, and identity in the Middle East.

Empire of Terror

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Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
ISBN 13 : 1640124403
Total Pages : 360 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (41 download)

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Book Synopsis Empire of Terror by : Mark D. Silinsky

Download or read book Empire of Terror written by Mark D. Silinsky and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2021-07 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Empire of Terror Mark D. Silinsky argues that Iran is one of the United States’ deadliest enemies. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, known as the Guards, bring Iran’s sway over much of the greater Middle East and pose a growing existential threat to Western security. Providing insights gained from his thirty-eight years as an analyst in the U.S. defense intelligence community, Silinsky argues that Iran’s political leaders and Guards are animated by aggressive, unforgiving, and totalitarian principles. He draws historical parallels to the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany to compare the intelligence and security services of states with totalitarian aspirations and to illustrate ideological points of intersection—a collectivist mindset, intolerance for political deviation, strongly defined sex roles and hypermasculinity, and a ruthless determination to ferret out and destroy their enemies. Silinsky offers biographies and explanations of the ideology that propels some of Iran’s leaders, with global implications. Profiling the perpetrators, victims, heroes, villains, and dupes, Silinsky shines light on the human and inhumane elements in this distinctly Iranian drama. Although the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany have been defeated and belong to history, the Iranian threat is very much alive.

Guardians of the Revolution

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Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780199793136
Total Pages : 328 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (931 download)

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Book Synopsis Guardians of the Revolution by : Ray Takeyh

Download or read book Guardians of the Revolution written by Ray Takeyh and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009-05-27 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over a quarter century, Iran has been one of America's chief nemeses. Ever since Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew the Shah in 1979, the relationship between the two nations has been antagonistic: revolutionary guards chanting against the Great Satan, Bush fulminating against the Axis of Evil, Iranian support for Hezbollah, and President Ahmadinejad blaming the U.S. for the world's ills. The unending war of words suggests an intractable divide between Iran and the West, one that may very well lead to a shooting war in the near future. But as Ray Takeyh shows in this accessible and authoritative history of Iran's relations with the world since the revolution, behind the famous personalities and extremist slogans is a nation that is far more pragmatic--and complex--than many in the West have been led to believe. Takeyh explodes many of our simplistic myths of Iran as an intransigently Islamist foe of the West. Tracing the course of Iranian policy since the 1979 revolution, Takeyh identifies four distinct periods: the revolutionary era of the 1980s, the tempered gradualism following the death of Khomeini and the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1989, the "reformist" period from 1997-2005 under President Khatami, and the shift toward confrontation and radicalism since the election of President Ahmadinejad in 2005. Takeyh shows that three powerful forces--Islamism, pragmatism, and great power pretensions--have competed in each of these periods, and that Iran's often paradoxical policies are in reality a series of compromises between the hardliners and the moderates, often with wild oscillations between pragmatism and ideological dogmatism. The U.S.'s task, Takeyh argues, is to find strategies that address Iran's objectionable behavior without demonizing this key player in an increasingly vital and volatile region. With its clear-sighted grasp of both nuance and historical sweep, Guardians of the Revolution will stand as the standard work on this controversial--and central--actor in world politics for years to come.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps

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Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1350255688
Total Pages : 233 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (52 download)

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Book Synopsis The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps by : Alma Keshavarz

Download or read book The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps written by Alma Keshavarz and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2023-09-07 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has yet to be directly analysed as a military security complex with significant political influence. This book explores Iran's IRGC and Qods Force, focussing on its development following the Iranian Revolution, and how they have skilfully transformed Iran's defense doctrine to fight an irregular war that challenges the US and the West. Chapters detail the birth of the IRGC, its political development and influence within Iran, its relationship to militias and terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, and involvement in Yemen and Iraq. Keshavarz brings first-hand knowledge of what government institutions are looking for with respect to the IRGC, outlining Iran's hybrid war capabilities that the US and West often misunderstand or miss altogether, in order to provide a foreign policy analysis that identifies the challenges of Iran's irregular capabilities and what measures are needed to combat it.

Defending Iran

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Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108476783
Total Pages : 303 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (84 download)

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Book Synopsis Defending Iran by : Gawdat Bahgat

Download or read book Defending Iran written by Gawdat Bahgat and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-09-23 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An authoritative analysis of Iran's defense doctrine and security policies set within the context of security and political relations in the Middle East.

The Revolutionary Guards in Iranian Politics

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Author :
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317525647
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (175 download)

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Book Synopsis The Revolutionary Guards in Iranian Politics by : Bayram Sinkaya

Download or read book The Revolutionary Guards in Iranian Politics written by Bayram Sinkaya and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-06-19 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has been dubbed the ‘kingmaker’ in recent studies of Iranian politics, precipitating heated debates surrounding the potential militarization of the Iranian regime and giving rise to paradoxical understandings of the IRGC; whether as a military institution entering politics, or a political institution with a military history. Revolutionary Guards in Iranian Politics offers a way out of this paradox by showing that the IRGC is not a recently politicized institution, but has instead been highly politicized since its inception. It identifies the ways in which the IRGC relates to national political dynamics, examines the factors contributing to this relationship, and its implications on Iranian politics from the revolution up to the present day. The book examines the three decades following the revolution, uncovering the reasons behind the rise of the Revolutionary Guards and tracking the organization’s evolving relationship with politics. Establishing a theoretical framework from revolution and civil-military relations theories, this book provides new perspectives on the relationship between the IRGC and Iranian politics. This book would be of interest to students and scholars of Middle East Studies and Iranian Studies, in particular Iranian Politics.

Iran Unveiled

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Author :
Publisher : AEI Press
ISBN 13 : 0844772550
Total Pages : 286 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (447 download)

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Book Synopsis Iran Unveiled by : Ali Alfoneh

Download or read book Iran Unveiled written by Ali Alfoneh and published by AEI Press. This book was released on 2013-04-18 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Iran is currently experiencing the most important change in its history since the revolution of 1979 and the establishment of the Islamic Republic: The regime in Tehran, traditionally ruled by the Shia clergy, is transforming into a military dictatorship dominated by the officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC; Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami). This transformation is changing not only the economy and society in Iran, but also the Islamic Republic’s relations with the United States and its allies.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards

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Author :
Publisher : Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN 13 : 9781985644342
Total Pages : 116 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (443 download)

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Book Synopsis The Iranian Revolutionary Guards by : Charles River Charles River Editors

Download or read book The Iranian Revolutionary Guards written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-19 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes online resources and a bibliography In early November 2016, Salar Abnoush, a leader in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated that the IRGC "will be in the U.S. and Europe very soon." This quote came just before the U.S. presidential election, a time when President Barack Obama was winding down his presidency and American society was busy reflecting on his past actions over the 8 years of his presidency. Of those actions that incoming President Donald Trump has decided to focus on, "tearing up" the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (also more commonly known as the Iran Nuclear Deal) was near the top of the list. The crux of the deal focuses on Iran's agreement to rolling back uranium stockpiles and enrichment capabilities in exchange for the ending of nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. Due to the IRGC's current involvement in the Iranian economy, they stand to gain from the ending of the sanctions. Possible threats to the deal by the incoming Trump Administration are of concern in Iran, and the threat of the IRGC spreading in Western countries is a concern as well. The impact of the changing of terms to the Iran Nuclear Deal is just one concern among many of members of the IRGC. The multi-party conflict of the Syrian Civil War has pulled Iran deeper into this global conflict, as the number of refugees and internally displaced people rise. Through it all, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has held a position of power and prestige in Iranian society and has inspired both revolution and concern around the world. The IRGC is notable for its involvement in conflicts around the Middle East, particularly in supporting Shi'a groups through military training and finance, as well as backup support on the battlefield. This is not to say the IRGC enters into conflicts for the sake of being involved, but rather, they see these particular situations as serving the interests of Iran and furthering their brand of Shi'ism, a sect of Islam. The IRGC sees itself as a protector of Islam, Iran's theocracy, and the principles of the 1979 Iranian Revolution, so its involvement is always framed in terms of benefits to the overall goals of promoting revolutionary ideals. As analyst Afshon Ostovar puts it, "The IRGC is a multifaceted organization with reach into many different areas. It is a security service, an intelligence operation, a social and cultural force, and a complex industrial economic conglomerate." The IRGC operates in a very similar manner to other Islamist paramilitary organizations, such as Hezbollah, Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and--their current enemies on the battlefield--the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Jabhat Al-Nusra. These Islamist groups' power and influence comes from their control over the societies in which they operate and whether or not they have influential allies. The main difference for the IRGC, however, is the support of Iranian leadership in carrying out their main mission of maintaining and exporting the revolution. In essence, the IRGC has rooted itself in Iranian society and spread its influence through association with the society's most integral components--the education system, businesses, civil organizations, and religion--all at the request and blessing of the Supreme Leader of Iran. This is a similar model ISIL and Jabhat Al-Nusra are attempting to carry out in Syria and Iraq, and the one that Hamas and Hezbollah currently carry out in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. The IRGC is also very much involved in Iran's economy and has a stake in its nuclear ambitions.