Ground Force of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution

Ground Forces of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution
نیروی زمینی سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی
Seal of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution
Active	1979-present
Country	Iran
Size	100,000 ca.
Part of	Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution
Engagements	Iran–Iraq War Syrian Civil War
Commanders
Current commander	Mohammad Pakpour

The Ground Forces of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, acronymed NEZSA (Persian: نزسا‎‎), are the force which the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, also known as Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), maintain in parallel to the regular army of Iran. In addition to their conventional military role, the revolutionary guards' ground forces are more geared towards internal disorder than the regular army. The IRGC's Ground Forces are more focused on internal security and has become less effective as a conventional fighting force since the end of the Iran–Iraq War. There are around 100,000 IRGC Ground Force troops.

As of 2014 the IRGC GF lacked of main battle tanks and other heavy equipment. The heaviest equipment consists of armoured personnel carrier.

According to Anthony Cordesman and Bryan Gold, the IRGC Ground Forces control the Basji and strictly cooperate with Basji's Imam Hossein Brigades.

The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution was officially established on 5 May 1979. It was conceived as a popular militia force to monitor the remainders of the Shah’s Artesh and defend the Islamic Revolution (such as against Nojeh coup plot). However, the official establishment followed several months of activity of the Revolutionary Guards.

According to Mohsen Rafiqdust, the establishment of and armed force tasked to secure the Revolution was proposed by Hojjat al-Islam Mohammad Montazeri, son of Ayatollah Hussein Ali Montazeri; Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini ordered in February 1979 the establishment of such a force, which was established by Mohammad Montazeri itself and Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, leader of the Islamic Republican Party. Moshen Rafiqdust was charged with organizing the Revolutionary Guard and Abbas Duzduzani was the first Commander.