Mutiny within Iran’s Revolutionary Guard after it incurs heavy losses in Syria

[oproh]

Sigh, too much wishful thinking can cause insanity, saudis and israelis better be careful.

 

[Siavash]

Written by : Asharq Al-Awsat
on : Wednesday, 4 Nov, 2015

Mutiny within Iran’s Revolutionary Guard after it incurs heavy losses in Syria: source
Several high-ranking generals killed in Aleppo since October

Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps soldiers march during an annual military parade in Tehran, Iran, on September 22, 2013. (EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh)​

Tehran and London, Asharq Al-Awsat—A rising death toll within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria is leading to a mutiny among some senior commanders, who have refused to obey orders to fight in the war-torn country, according to a source close to the Revolutionary Guard.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Asharq Al-Awsat the commanders, who are also joined by a number of junior officers, have now been referred to a court-marshal on charges of “mutiny and treason.”

Iran, which alongside Russia is Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s main international ally, has denied it has combat troops in Syria, claiming it has only sent officers and generals within an advisory capacity to assist both the Syrian army and Hezbollah militias.

The semi-official Fars news agency said on Tuesday some 30 military personnel from the Revolutionary Guard have been killed in Syria in recent weeks, including high-ranking figures such as Col. Mostafa Ezzatollah, Gen. Farshad Hasoonizadeh, and Gen. Hossein Hamedani, who were all killed in Aleppo.

Meanwhile, the source told Asharq Al-Awsat several Revolutionary Guard generals from Ahvaz province, which has a large Iranian–Arab population, have “chosen retirement and pursuing business activities” rather than having to head to Syria.

The Revolutionary Guard court-marshals have now opened an official investigation into the large numbers of suddenly retired generals from the region in what they called “this critical time” for the Revolutionary Guard, according to the source.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is charged with defending the values of Iran’s Islamic Revolution both inside the country and abroad and members must pledge unwavering loyalty to the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The source also said a recent rise in deaths among the much-feared Quds Force—an elite paramilitary unit of the Revolutionary Guard charged with carrying out foreign missions—has led its leadership to begin recruiting higher-ranking officers to fight in Syria.

Iranian opposition publication Rooz Online has reported recently that the Revolutionary Guard have begun utilizing new recruitment initiatives in the Sistan and Baluchistan province, in order to bolster their depleting ranks.

Recruiters are targeting the province’s religious and ethnic minorities—which include Kurds, Baluchs, and Sunni Muslims—as well as the poor, offering the equivalent of 830 dollars for six weeks’ service in Syria following training.

It doesn't sound right! IRGC is not a normal organization and doesn't choose ranks of who should participate in Syrian conflict based on an organizational chart that those retired now would have skipped the chart! Be assured that IRGC and the Iranian Intelligence agencies know well who is who in their ranks and what is their price! They are very clever in profiling their troops and, those are sent in Syria, that match the profile. Not saying in IRGC ranks there are no fake ones to the IRGC motto of guarding the revolution but what I am saying is wake up and be a wise enemy, such articles shows how much they don't know of their supposed enemy (IRGC). This is a special force unit and the ones that are chosen are not doing their organizational duty but are willing to be there and only those willing are sent.

Regarding commanders being killed, in Iraq and Iran war this was a normal thing because these commanders are commanding from the spear head of the conflict and they take casualties. it happened that in one conflict the head of the brigade and his VP get killed and the next took his place. I believe this will not affect IRGC moral in fighting in Syria. What affected IRGC moral in Iran-Iraq war was defeat and lack of equipment because of enemy superior equipment and intelligence which is lacking in Syria.

Ask yourself this question from your enemy eye! Why is the news of these commanders killed being circulated and advertised in Iran? Is the government of Iran mad to boast about it? Or is it being used? When you have the answer to this question then you know if the article above is fake or real!

One needs to be a wise and intelligent enemy to be effective and this report is totally dumb! By the way quoting from Asharq Al-Awsat and Al Arabia is like quoting Fox news! In the eye of those reading middle eastern news these are not reliable or intelligent sources! I am just wondering who are they targeting with this news! It shows desperation and that is not good to show to your enemy!

 

[Madali]

The article mentions nothing about troop shortages but about individual officers refusing to join the front-lines so your argument is immediately thrown out of the window
And even if the source is BS, you will never know if there ever was a real mutiny in any case. Its just guess.

The burden of proof is on the accuser. If I say Obama is a secret alien under disguise, and you say, "of course, he is not, you moron", then imagine I reply with, "Well, prove he isn't!!"

It would be almost impossible for you to prove a negative.

IRGC same like Saddam's Republican gaurds is just a show piece. In real war the IRGC will run as the Republican guards did

They have already experienced real war, kid.

 

[AtiF Malang]

They have already experienced real war, kid.

Dear so were the Republican gaurds. And in new Khamenae is loosing the popularity which he had and so are the Revolution gaurds .

 

[Madali]

Dear so were the Republican gaurds. And in new Khamenae is loosing the popularity which he had and so are the Revolution gaurds .

And you know this, how exactly?

 

[jammersat]

Dear so were the Republican gaurds. And in new Khamenae is loosing the popularity which he had and so are the Revolution gaurds .

Don't worry , iran is a semi-democracy , unlike the iraqi desert wasteland which was all about saddam hussein , iran is simply not like that ..

 

[AtiF Malang]

And you know this, how exactly?

Dear the New iranian generation is fedup of propaganda of your regime .
If conduct a free survey you will find that Hassan Rohani is more famous than Khamenae .

 

[Madali]

Dear the New iranian generation is fedup of propaganda of your regime .
If conduct a free survey you will find that Hassan Rohani is more famous than Khamenae .

You do realize you are making up stuff without any real evidence, right?

 

[AtiF Malang]

Every country belongs to its people . If Hassan Rohani is famous or Khamenae , Religious thinkers are more or the Modern it will effect mainly Iran and I just telling you my observation which I got after Nuclear deals and other stuff .
To be Nationalistic and religious is good for every society but what i observe is that the new generation is feedup with the limits put over them by the ruling regime .
As far as revolution gaurds are concerned they faced the Republican in Iran Iraq war . Both perfomed almost same .
Now in Syria your well trained and equipped army is getting blows from a malitia which is showing its limitation .
Secondly if Khamenae and other religious thinkers are still strong then why in earth revolutionary gaurds are reluctant to fight the holy war .
Let me once again make it clear what i am saying is my observation being a neutral person .

You do realize you are making up stuff without any real evidence, right?

 

[jammersat]

Every country belongs to its people . If Hassan Rohani is famous or Khamenae , Religious thinkers are more or the Modern it will effect mainly Iran and I just telling you my observation which I got after Nuclear deals and other stuff .
To be Nationalistic and religious is good for every society but what i observe is that the new generation is feedup with the limits put over them by the ruling regime .
As far as revolution gaurds are concerned they faced the Republican in Iran Iraq war . Both perfomed almost same .
Now in Syria your well trained and equipped army is getting blows from a malitia which is showing its limitation .
Secondly if Khamenae and other religious thinkers are still strong then why in earth revolutionary gaurds are reluctant to fight the holy war .
Let me once again make it clear what i am saying is my observation being a neutral person .

i don't want to bug you with my post dear , but the revolutionary guards are far from an equivalent to the former iraqi republican guards , the republican guards were more like the elite troops of the former soviet block , do you think they went head to head in the iran-iraq war like the immortals and the 300 spartans?

the revolutionary guard is at least not elite like in its appearance and is grass root , and their experience too unlike what you claim has been different too , the iraqis were humiliated twice by the US , quite opposite thing happened to iran , only the iranian army which was remnant of the past regime was humiliated by the US the revolutionary guards not .

 

[mandrom]

Saudi sources. lol.Nuff said.

 

[Siavash]

Every country belongs to its people . If Hassan Rohani is famous or Khamenae , Religious thinkers are more or the Modern it will effect mainly Iran and I just telling you my observation which I got after Nuclear deals and other stuff .
To be Nationalistic and religious is good for every society but what i observe is that the new generation is feedup with the limits put over them by the ruling regime .
As far as revolution gaurds are concerned they faced the Republican in Iran Iraq war . Both perfomed almost same .
Now in Syria your well trained and equipped army is getting blows from a malitia which is showing its limitation .
Secondly if Khamenae and other religious thinkers are still strong then why in earth revolutionary gaurds are reluctant to fight the holy war .
Let me once again make it clear what I am saying is my observation being a neutral person .

Iran hasn't sent IRGC conscripts yet. Most of the units there are Fatemieh brigade built from Afghan and Iraqi Shia forces. I wonder why Iran is not going in full force! There is nothing else to lose politically and this is the best time! I guess the political situation in Syria is not ready for it and they haven't found reliable logistics for it (Russia is not to be trusted).

Anyway the forces you see in Syria is not full IRGC. I don't believe the FSA is any better than any other Arab force we have seen so far so I don't believe by themselves they are able to achieve much. The problem is mentality. IRGC is a flat organization in the battle field. ranks obey but free to share ideas. In contrary to that Arab armies are hierarchical and I believe the mentality wouldn't have changed in the FSA as it is a part of the culture. A hierarchical structure requires everything in order to function properly. Under stress and chaos their functionality is reduced significantly. The reason things are not moving fast is not enough forces on the ground. I believe Iran and Russia are hoping the Geneva 3 would lead to something. I think it is a mistake, they should commit full force on the ground also ask Iraq permission to interfere with ground forces and open up a corridor to Syria. Iran has the blitz capability now as much as ISIS has at least.

If it was me I would have made an incident in the border and pressure Iraq to allow deploying forces in Iraq (300K+ ) full war. Open up a logistic corridor till east and south east Syria and march on ISIS from east of Syria while the current forces are moving north towards Turkey and Aleppo. Iran is losing the time. If next week the Geneva 3 doesn't go through, it should take KSA, US and even Russian by surprise and either with Iraqi consent or by making an incident in the borders open up a corridor to Syria! I think in that case we would really see what IRGC and Iranian Army are capable of. Meanwhile KSA is still busy in Yemen and Jordan has nothing to match and Turkey should be well busy with PKK to interfere in a 2 month short campaign. Don't know what are they waiting for!

I would make a deal with PKK and provide them black market Chinese and Russian ammunition and rockets and shoulder sam's and keep Turkey busy. Spend a billion on PKK for a 2 months period and take advantage in short time. It is a gamble but if done in two phase (Iraq phase and then Syria phase) you can always back track and not lose much. Now that Ordoghan has full majority it is harder but has to be done eventually if things don't settle in Syria.

 

[bdslph]

i guess not true we would have seen a lot in the news
Iran send there in Syria but not too many and also why would IRGC do mutiny so easily
Iran military is not a chicken one
they have to bring peace in Syria or the terrorist will come to Iran

 

[Siavash]

Iran should go in full force and accept 50K casualty if necessary! Iran should prepare public for the worst and have their approval of higher losses! Right after next week Geneva 3 failure! Time is running out!

 

[atatwolf]

Iran hasn't sent IRGC conscripts yet. Most of the units there are Fatemieh brigade built from Afghan and Iraqi Shia forces. I wonder why Iran is not going in full force! There is nothing else to lose politically and this is the best time! I guess the political situation in Syria is not ready for it and they haven't found reliable logistics for it (Russia is not to be trusted).

Anyway the forces you see in Syria is not full IRGC. I don't believe the FSA is any better than any other Arab force we have seen so far so I don't believe by themselves they are able to achieve much. The problem is mentality. IRGC is a flat organization in the battle field. ranks obey but free to share ideas. In contrary to that Arab armies are hierarchical and I believe the mentality wouldn't have changed in the FSA as it is a part of the culture. A hierarchical structure requires everything in order to function properly. Under stress and chaos their functionality is reduced significantly. The reason things are not moving fast is not enough forces on the ground. I believe Iran and Russia are hoping the Geneva 3 would lead to something. I think it is a mistake, they should commit full force on the ground also ask Iraq permission to interfere with ground forces and open up a corridor to Syria. Iran has the blitz capability now as much as ISIS has at least.

If it was me I would have made an incident in the border and pressure Iraq to allow deploying forces in Iraq (300K+ ) full war. Open up a logistic corridor till east and south east Syria and march on ISIS from east of Syria while the current forces are moving north towards Turkey and Aleppo. Iran is losing the time. If next week the Geneva 3 doesn't go through, it should take KSA, US and even Russian by surprise and either with Iraqi consent or by making an incident in the borders open up a corridor to Syria! I think in that case we would really see what IRGC and Iranian Army are capable of. Meanwhile KSA is still busy in Yemen and Jordan has nothing to match and Turkey should be well busy with PKK to interfere in a 2 month short campaign. Don't know what are they waiting for!

I would make a deal with PKK and provide them black market Chinese and Russian ammunition and rockets and shoulder sam's and keep Turkey busy. Spend a billion on PKK for a 2 months period and take advantage in short time. It is a gamble but if done in two phase (Iraq phase and then Syria phase) you can always back track and not lose much. Now that Ordoghan has full majority it is harder but has to be done eventually if things don't settle in Syria.

I hope Iranian leadership is as stupid as you. If Iran supports PKK our Intel can pick it up very easily and then expect 30 million Azeri to rise up in Iran. I think it is clear that Shia terrorists in Syria are not motivated enough to accomplish anything. Further Iranian aggression would result in new sanction slapping. Russia has signaled it is ready for a transition without Assad. I think Iran can't do much. Russia will trade off Syria for Ukraine and Iran has to accept an empty stomach