The IRGC’s Role in Global Terrorism: A Threat Beyond Iran

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is one of the most powerful and dangerous entities within Iran’s regime, acting as both a military force and a state-sponsored terrorist organization. With direct links to armed groups, proxy militias, and global terrorism networks, the IRGC is responsible for destabilizing the Middle East, orchestrating attacks worldwide, and supporting extremist organizations.

The United States designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 2019, recognizing its role in terrorism, human rights abuses, and illegal financial operations. While some countries, including Canada, the UK, and the European Union, have imposed sanctions on IRGC officials, they have yet to fully designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, allowing its global operations to continue.

This report examines how the IRGC funds, arms, and coordinates terrorist activities, why it poses a global security threat, and what steps the international community must take to counter its influence.

1. The IRGC’s Structure and Terror Operations

The IRGC has several divisions, but its most dangerous branch is the Quds Force, which operates outside Iran’s borders, supporting terrorist groups, conducting assassinations, and planning attacks worldwide.

A. The Quds Force: The IRGC’s Terror Arm

The Quds Force, led by Esmail Qaani, is responsible for:

 • Training and funding terrorist groups in the Middle East and beyond.

 • Coordinating terrorist attacks against U.S., Israeli, and Western targets.

 • Smuggling weapons and explosives to militias and extremist groups.

 • Conducting assassinations of dissidents, activists, and political opponents abroad.

The Quds Force functions like a global terrorist organization, often working through front companies, diplomatic networks, and criminal enterprises to evade detection.

2. The IRGC’s Proxy Terror Network

The IRGC supports multiple armed groups and militias, using them to expand Iran’s influence and destabilize rival governments.

A. Hezbollah (Lebanon)

 • Founded by the IRGC in 1982, Hezbollah is Iran’s most powerful proxy.

 • Responsible for terrorist attacks, including the 1994 AMIA bombing in Argentina and the 2012 bus bombing in Bulgaria.

 • Receives $700 million annually from Iran, including advanced weapons, missiles, and drones.

B. Hamas & Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Gaza & West Bank)

 • The IRGC provides financial, military, and intelligence support to both groups.

 • Hamas has used Iranian-supplied rockets to launch attacks on Israel.

 • Iran smuggles weapons into Gaza via Hezbollah and the IRGC’s smuggling networks.

C. Houthis (Yemen)

 • The IRGC supplies missiles, drones, and military training to the Houthis.

 • Houthi forces have targeted Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and shipping vessels in the Red Sea with Iranian weapons.

 • Iran’s backing of the Houthis has prolonged one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

D. Iraqi Shiite Militias (Iraq)

 • The IRGC backs groups like Kata’ib Hezbollah, Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, and Harakat al-Nujaba.

 • These militias have attacked U.S. military bases, assassinated Iraqi activists, and undermined Iraq’s sovereignty.

E. IRGC Operations in Syria

 • The IRGC supports Bashar al-Assad’s brutal regime, providing troops, weapons, and funding.

 • Iranian militias have committed war crimes, leading to mass civilian deaths and displacement.

The IRGC’s proxies serve as Iran’s military arm, allowing it to engage in terrorism and warfare while denying direct involvement.

3. IRGC-Backed Terrorist Attacks Worldwide

The IRGC’s operations extend beyond the Middle East, with documented terrorist attacks and assassination attempts across the globe.

A. Europe

 • 2018 Paris bomb plot: IRGC operatives attempted to bomb a rally of Iranian dissidents in France.

 • 2021 German intelligence report: Confirmed IRGC spying on Israeli and Jewish organizations in Europe.

B. Latin America

• 1994 AMIA bombing in Argentina: Hezbollah, under IRGC command, bombed a Jewish center, killing 85 people.

 • The IRGC has established ties with Venezuela, using the country for money laundering and weapons smuggling.

C. Africa

 • IRGC-backed terrorist cells have been discovered in Nigeria, Sudan, and Kenya, planning attacks on U.S. and Israeli interests.

D. United States

 • 2011 Assassination plot: The IRGC attempted to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington, D.C.

 • 2022 Iranian hit squad exposed: IRGC operatives were caught plotting to assassinate dissidents and former U.S. officials.

The IRGC’s global reach makes it one of the most dangerous state-sponsored terror organizations in the world.

4. The IRGC’s Funding and Criminal Networks

The IRGC funds its terrorist activities through illicit financial networks that include:

A. Oil Smuggling & Sanctions Evasion

 • The IRGC sells sanctioned Iranian oil through black markets, front companies, and foreign intermediaries.

 • China, Venezuela, and Syria are key partners in IRGC oil smuggling operations.

B. Drug & Arms Trafficking

 • The IRGC’s criminal operations smuggle heroin, meth, and weapons across the Middle East and Latin America.

 • Hezbollah, funded by the IRGC, is a major player in global drug trafficking.

C. Money Laundering & Front Companies

 • The IRGC controls banks, businesses, and charities to launder billions of dollars annually.

 • Dubai, Turkey, and Malaysia serve as financial hubs for Iran’s illicit transactions.

The IRGC’s illegal financial empire allows it to evade sanctions and continue funding terrorism worldwide.

5. Why the IRGC Must Be Fully Designated as a Terrorist Organization

While the United States has designated the IRGC as an FTO, other governments, including the EU, UK, and Canada, must follow suit.

A. The Impact of a Full Terrorist Designation

• Freezes IRGC assets globally, cutting off its financial networks.

.  Criminalizes any support for IRGC-affiliated businesses and individuals.

.  Restricts IRGC members from entering foreign countries, reducing its operational reach.

.  Increases intelligence cooperation between nations to counter IRGC threats.

B. The Urgent Need for Global Action

 • The IRGC is not just an Iranian military branch; it is a terrorist organization that operates worldwide.

 • Without full designation and sanctions, the IRGC will continue spreading terrorism, funding armed groups, and threatening global security.

The time for half-measures is over. The international community must take decisive action to weaken the IRGC’s terror network and criminal empire.

 Conclusion: The World Must Act Now

The IRGC is a terrorist organization, responsible for global attacks, proxy wars, assassinations, and human rights violations. Every day that the IRGC remains undesignated, it continues to finance terrorism, destabilize governments, and threaten global security.