Iran's Revolutionary Guards tighten grip on power as civilian leadership sidelined

Key Points:

• Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has effectively taken control of the country's key military and political decision-making, operating with growing autonomy and answering only to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, sidelining civilian leaders.
• IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi now makes critical military and political decisions alongside the supreme leader, with civilian officials like Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi unable to act without IRGC approval.
• Established in 1979 to safeguard the Islamic Revolution, the IRGC evolved from a guerrilla force into a powerful parallel military and economic institution with extensive regional influence, including involvement in conflicts and support for proxy groups across the Middle East.
• Despite leadership losses from targeted strikes, the IRGC remains resilient and has restructured into autonomous regional commands loyal solely to the supreme leader, shifting Iran’s power dynamics from cleric-dominated rule to an IRGC-centric system.
• The IRGC now plays a central role in Iran’s domestic and foreign policy, redefining its mission beyond traditional clerical authority and maintaining significant control over social policies and strategic decisions, including control over the Strait of Hormuz.