Iran: Information on recruitment in the Pasdaran

The following information was provided during a telephone interview on 2 December 1995 with a researcher at the Center For Iranian Studies, Columbia University, New York, and an assistant editor at Encyclopedia Iranica. The source is writing a book on Iran that will contain a chapter on the armed forces. The information covers the pre- and post-1988 period.

Questions on military service in Iran are difficult because of the secrecy surrounding these issues.

Recruitment in the Pasdaran initially took place on a voluntary basis among the youths coming from extremely religious backgrounds with very modest financial means. It was a voluntary recruitment. Some volunteers also stepped forward from among the pro-Soviet leftists with the purpose of infiltration. Since the regime was aware of this idea, very tough Islamic doctrinal entrance exams were instituted. The background of volunteers would be checked in various ways such as the submission of a background report on the volunteer and the recruits' control through the local mosque, for example. Islamic indoctrination through the military training and thereafter by way of the office of ideological control would make sure that those who were members of the Pasdaran were fully devoted to the regime. They would be constantly reviewed for security. A person with doubtful "Islamic" motivation would not be recruited to serve in the Revolutionary Guard.

There is no obligatory conscription in the Pasdaran. The whole philosophy of the organization is to enrol those volunteers who are devoted to the regime. Those who are up for draft may express the wish to spend their service period in the Pasdaran, but they would have to go through the rigorous test all other volunteers do. The main motivation behind volunteering would be to enjoy certain privileges that are reserved for the devotees of the regime. In addition to material benefits, another motivation is the sheer power associated with the most powerful arm of the regime, which could be wielded in legitimate and illegitimate ways.

If a conscript was allowed to perform his military service in the Pasdaran, he would receive his release form with that information on it. Few among those who volunteer would refuse the advantages that go with membership in this corps, particularly in light of the high rate of unemployment in the country.

Since 1988, the Pasdaran have been assigned new duties in the field of construction of infrastructure and development. They would have to work in development projects assigned to them. However, the Pasdaran's main duty is to protect the current regime.

In 1984 and 1985 in the Kurdish region of Iran, the role and duties of the Pasdaran was to combat Kurdish militants on the front line. The Pasdaran troops were spread over the Kurdish territory with the mission of protecting the borders and suppressing the Kurdish resistance. Both the regular armed forces and the Pasdaran had their garrisons in the area.

Military service is currently mandatory in Iran. A person cannot refuse to perform his service in the army.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Reference

Center For Iranian Studies, Columbia University, New York. 2 December 1995. Telephone interview with a researcher.