Ansar al-Mahdi Protection Corps
| Ansar al-Mahdi Protection Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1979 — present |
| Country |  Iran |
| Allegiance | Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces |
| Role | Protection Corps |
| Part of |  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | Tehran |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Fathollah Jamiri |
Ansar al-Mahdi Protection Corps are a military unit of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was established in 1979, during the Iranian Revolution to provide close physical protection for high-ranking political and military officials, excluding the Supreme Leader.[1]
History
The military unit was founded in the early days of the Islamic Republic of Iran, by Ruhollah Khomeini, under the name of "Revolutionary Guard", following the attempted assassination of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Khomeini tasked the Revolutionary Guard with the responsibility of protecting the lives of the officials.[2]
According to the IRGC, the Mossad allegedly hired members of the military unit to carry out the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, placing explosives through the building,[3] this demonstrates that Ansar al-Mahdi has serious deficiencies in its function of protecting; it is understood that the unit is not prepared to face threats.[4]
Commanders
Brigadier General Fathollah Jamiri has served as the commander of the Ansar al-Mahdi since April 2020, having begun his military career during the Iran-Iraq War in 1988.[2]
Prior to Jamiri, Brigadier General Ali Nasiri led the unit,[5] facing errors in protection, including the 2020 assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, where Nasiri noted the deployment of protective teams but acknowledged operational shortcomings.[6]
Provincial Corps
Zanjan Ansar Al-Mahdi Provincial Corps
On 14 June 2025, the Provincial Corps of Zanjan province, during the Twelve-Day War, declared the death of five of his fighters, they are Commander Reza Najafi, Hassan Rasouli, Hamid Tomari, Akbar Azizi, and Amir Khani.[7][8][9][10]
During the 2026 Iran war, the military unit was attacked in the Zanjan province by Israel.[11]
References
- ↑ "The IRGC Security and Intelligence Agencies". iranwire.com. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
- 1 2 "Al-Estiklal Newspaper". www.alestiklal.net. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ↑ Makoii, Akhtar (2024-08-02). "Mossad hired Iranian agents to plant bombs in Haniyeh's residence". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ↑ "Intelligence Vulnerabilities of Iran and the Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh - İRAM Center | Center for Iranian Studies in Ankara". iramcenter.org. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
- ↑ "سخنگوی سپاه: فرار و دستگیری چند تن از فرماندهان صحت ندارد". BBC News فارسی (in Persian). Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ↑ "The Fakhrizadeh assassination: A major failure for Iranian intelligence". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 2026-04-22.
- ↑ "3 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members killed in Israeli attacks on Iran". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ↑ "La Guardia Revolucionaria Iraní en Zanjan anuncia el martirio de tres de sus miembros en una nueva agresión sionista". www.saba.ye (in Spanish). 2025-06-22. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ↑ Sayeh, Janatan (2025-06-14). "Iran announces more casualties, intensifies internal crackdown amid Israeli strikes". FDD's Long War Journal. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ↑ "Two IRGC members killed in Israeli strike in northwestern Iran - IRNA". www.iranintl.com. 2025-06-16. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ↑ Sleiman, Nadia (2026-03-02). "Iran Update Evening Special Report, March 1, 2026". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2026-04-22.