| Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution |
| Command |
| Supreme Leader of Iran |
| Senior officers |
| Military Branches |
| Air Force |
| Ground Force |
| Navy |
| Quds Force |
| Basij |
| Missile Forces |
| Missile Forces |
| Personnel |
| Ranks insignia |
| Facilities |
|---|
| Baqiyatallah University |
| History |
| Iranian Revolution |
The Basij (also Bassij or Baseej, or Baseej-e Mostaz'afin, or "The Mobilized Oppressed"", or Persian: بسيج), is a volunteer based Iranian paramilitary force founded by order of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on November 1979. The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution ( Sepáh e Pásdárán e Enqeláb e Eslámi) is an ideologically motivated branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran's The post of Supreme Leader ( Persian: رهبر انقلاب Rahbare Enqelab, lit The following individuals have been identified as senior officers (currently or in the past of Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, an agency of the government of Iran The Air Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (AFAGIR also known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air Force (IRGC AF, is the air force The Ground Forces of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution are the force which the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, also known as Islamic Revolutionary Navy of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic The Quds Force (نیروی قدس translit Niru e Qods) in English Jerusalem Force, is a special unit of Iran 's Army of the Guardians of the The Air Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (AFAGIR also known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air Force (IRGC AF, is the air force Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University (BMSU is a non-civilian medical school in Iran. The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force but which are not regarded as having the same status Seyyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini ( Persian:, pronounced muːsæviː-je xomejniː}}( September 24, 1902 – June 3 1989 There is a local Basij organization in just about every city in Iran. [1] They serve as an auxiliary force engaged in activities such as law enforcement, emergency management, social service providing, public religious ceremony organizing, and more controversially morals policing and dissident gathering suppressing. Emergency management (or disaster management) is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks A dissident, broadly defined is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine policy or institution [2] They are perhaps most famous for providing the volunteers that made up the human wave attacks against the Iraqis during the Iran-Iraq War, particularly around Basra. A phase of the Iran-Iraq War, Operation Ramadan was launched by Iran in July 1982 near Basra. [3] The Basij are subordinate to, and obey the orders of, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution ( Sepáh e Pásdárán e Enqeláb e Eslámi) is an ideologically motivated branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran's The official name of the body means Basij Resistance Force (Persian: نیروی مقاومت بسیج, transliteration: Nirouye Moqavemate Basij).
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Organisation and duties
Revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a decree founding the Basij as "a large people's militia", in November 1979. Basij forces often undertake general security checks in urban areas setting up street inspection posts to intercept drug smuggling and potential insurgency. Although the number of Basij check points dramatically decreased after the Iran-Iraq war and following the disarmament of the MKO militant group in Iran. The People's Mujahedin of Iran ( PMOI, also MEK, MKO) ( Persian: سازمان مجاهدين خلق ايران sāzmān-e mojāhedin-e khalq-e They are active in monitoring the activities of citizens, enforcing hijab and arresting women for violating the dress code, arresting youths for attending mixed gender parties or being in public with unrelated members of the opposite sex,[4] seizing 'indecent' material and satellite dish antennae. Islam and clothing Hijab or ħijāb ( ar حجاب, pronounced) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun based on the root حجب meaning "to [5] Along with the Iranian riot police and the Ansar-e-Hezbollah, the Basij have been active in recent years in suppressing student demonstrations in Iran. Hezbollah of Iran Ansar-e-Hezbollah ( أنصار حزب الله, Persian: انصار حزبالله ( Ansar is Arabic and means patrons or helpers is The Basij are sometimes differentiated from the Ansar in being more "disciplined" and not beating, or at least not being as quick to beat demonstrators. [6]
In 1988 college Basiji organizations were established on college campuses to fight "Westoxification" and potential student agitation against the government. Gharbzadegi () is a pejorative Persian term often translated as "West-struck-ness" or Occidentosis [7]
In November 23, 2000 civil defense exercises in Iran, armed Basijis took up positions in the streets and along strategic locations. Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. In late September 2005, the Basij staged a series of urban defense exercises across the country. Its first deputy commander announced the creation of 2,000 "Ashura battalions" within the Basij that will have "riot-control responsibilities. " Some speculate the recent "revival" of the Basij could be connected "with preparations for possible civil unrest. "[8]
Basij also acts as an emergency management service, and is actively mobilized in case of earthquakes and other natural or human-made disasters. Emergency management (or disaster management) is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks A natural hazard or geophysical hazards is a threat of an event that will have a negative effect on people or the environment According to the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy and GlobalSecurity. org Basij forces also enforce Iran's Islamic codes together with other law enforcement organisations, though this also has experienced a considerable decline. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.
The Iranian Government has exercised a manifold of different plans to keep the Basij alive. Among these plans is the emphasis on ideas such as Development Basij (Basij-e-Sazandegi).
Personnel number
The Basij has a quasi-decentralised network with branches in almost every Iranian mosque. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger [9] One Iranian official quoted the Basij force to be 20 million men strong. [10] According to IRNA, there are currently 12. The Islamic Republic News Agency (خبرگزاری جمهوری اسلامی ایران or IRNA, is the official News agency of the Islamic Republic of 5 million members of Basij, of which 5 million are women. [11]
However independent estimates put the force variously at 3 million,[12] one million, [13][14] and as little as 400,000. [15]
Member profile and benefits
The typical member will be male (there are some female members as well) over the age of 12. Members of the Basij usually get a several months slashed off their compulsory military service, which lasts 21 months for every eligible man in Iran. During the Iran-Iraq war, it was easier for the Basijis to obtain university entry as government universities had quotas reserved for persons actively involved in the war efforts. Members of Basij usually enjoy the support of their communities and are often recruited more easily than non-members for various positions, especially security related positions.
As the Basij is a volunteer paramilitary organisation, most Basiji are not permitted to carry a firearm except for special requirements. This means that only about 25% of Basij carry firearms, usually an AK-47. The AK-47 (contraction of Russian Автомат Калашникова образца 1947 года; Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1947 goda; "Kalashnikov's However there is no rule saying that they cannot use any other weaponry which has brought major controversy.
Also controversial is the fact that because the Basij is volunteer-based, its members cannot be sued for misbehavior as police or other public officials can. One can sue the chief of police but there is little chance of succeeding in a similar suit against an over-zealous 18-year-old member of Basij, no matter what he does.
Human rights issues
- The Basij have been criticised as belonging to the paramilitary forces using child soldiers because of their underage recruitment practices and for having relied extensively on "human wave" attacks during the Iran-Iraq War, particularly around Basra. The military use of Children takes three distinct forms children can take direct part in hostilities (child soldiers or they can be used in support roles such as porters spies messengers [9][16] Many were used as cannon fodder and for mine-clearing. Cannon Fodder is a short series of two War (and later Science fiction) themed action Computer and video games developed by Sensible [1]
- According to the UNHCR "tens of thousands of Basijis had been ordered to prowl about every factory, office and school to ensure that everyone adhered to the Islamic code. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR (established December 14, 1950) is a [. . . ] After the summer 1992 riots Basij units were revived, rearmed and sent out into the streets to help enforce Islamic law. The Basijis are reportedly under the control of local mosques. It was further said that the Basijis set up checkpoints around the cities and stopped cars to sniff their occupant's breath for alcohol and check for women wearing make-up or travelling with a man not their close relative or husband. It was reported that the Law of Judicial Support for the Basijis, published in the Official Gazette No. 13946 of 8. 10. 1371 (December 1992), provided no redress against arbitrary detention by the Basijis. " Iran's permanent representative to the U. N. denied these charges. [17]
- Amnesty International claims that "investigations by Parliament and the National Security Council indicated that actions by Revolutionary Guard officials and Basij (Mobilization) forces, among others, precipitated the unrest and injuries following the July 1999 students demonstrations". Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to [18]
- Human Rights Watch has reported that the Basij belong to the "Parallel institutions" (nahad-e movazi), "the quasi-official organs of repression that have become increasingly open in crushing student protests, detaining activists, writers, and journalists in secret prisons, and threatening pro-democracy speakers and audiences at public events. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. " Under the control of the Office of the Supreme Leader these groups set up arbitrary checkpoints around Tehran, uniformed police often refraining from directly confronting these plainclothes agents. The post of Supreme Leader ( Persian: رهبر انقلاب Rahbare Enqelab, lit "Illegal prisons, which are outside of the oversight of the National Prisons Office, are sites where political prisoners are abused, intimidated, and tortured with impunity. " [19]
- On 13 November 2006, Tohid Ghaffarzadeh, a student at Sabzevar University was reportedly killed by a Basij member at the University while Ghaffarzadeh was talking to his girlfriend. The killer reportedly approached Ghaffarzadeh and stabbed him with a knife explaining that what he did was according to his religious beliefs. [20][21]
See also
Notes
- ^ Molavi, Afshin, The Soul of Iran, W. Iran is home to the earliest known charter of Human rights — the Achaemenid dynasty established unprecedented principles of human rights in the 6th century Hezbollah of Iran Ansar-e-Hezbollah ( أنصار حزب الله, Persian: انصار حزبالله ( Ansar is Arabic and means patrons or helpers is Government-organized demonstrations or state demonstrations are demonstrations which are organized by the government of that nation The Mutaween (مطوعين muṭawiʿiyn; variant English spellings mutawwain muttawa mutawallees mutawa’ah mutawi’ mutawwa' means "volunteer" in Arabic W. Norton, (2005), p. 88
- ^ Molavi, Afshin, The Soul of Iran, W. W. Norton, (2005), p. 88, 316-318
- ^ Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij Mobilisation Resistance Force
- ^ Molavi, The Soul of Iran (2005), p. 89
- ^ Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij Mobilisation Resistance Force
- ^ Molavi, The Soul of Iran (2005), p. 318
- ^ Molavi, The Soul of Iran (2005), p. 89
- ^ Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij Mobilisation Resistance Force
- ^ a b The Use of Children as Soldiers in the Middle East and North Africa Region, Jordan Institute of Diplomacy, August 2001
- ^ Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij
- ^ Supreme Leader inspects Basij units
- ^ by Hojjatoleslam Rahmani in a 1985 Iranian News Agency report, quoted in Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij Mobilisation Resistance Force
- ^ Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the Al Quds Force, and Other Intelligence and Paramilitary Forces p. 10, by Anthony H. Cordesman, Center for Strategic and International Studies]
- ^ Basij commander General Mohammad Hejazi said on 14 September 2005 quoted in Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij Mobilisation Resistance Force
- ^ Niruyeh Moghavemat Basij Mobilisation Resistance Force
- ^ Coalition to stop the use of child soldiers, Amnesty International, April 7 2001
- ^ Final report on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, UNHCR, (E/CN. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor 4/1994/50)
- ^ Report 2001, Islamic Republic of Iran, Amnesty International
- ^ Human Rights Watch, Overview of human rights issues in Iran, December 31, 2004
- ^ 1/2 value.com Basij
- ^ Advarnews.com (Persian)
External links
- Iran Military pictures and video
- Video Archive of Basij
- Basij Students Organization official website (from Internet Archive)
- The Bassij, Israel’s Enemy from Iran
- Heavy Weapons for Baseej Volunteer Militia from Rooz Online (from Internet Archive)
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