Iran: Information in addition to that contained in Response to Information Request IRN21677.E of 12 September 1995 on whether draftees who do their military service in the Revolutionary Guards Corps (RGC) are considered to be full members of that force during their service, and information on whether there are volunteers in the RGC
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRN21966.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iran: Information in addition to that contained in Response to Information Request IRN21677.E of 12 September 1995 on whether draftees who do their military service in the Revolutionary Guards Corps (RGC) are considered to be full members of that force during their service, and information on whether there are volunteers in the RGC, 1 October 1995, IRN21966.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acde30.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The 27 October 1994 Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Near East and South Asia Supplement on Iran, which is available at Regional Documentation Centres, contains sections of the complete regulations of the Iranian armed forces, consisting of the regular military (army, navy and air force) and the Revolutionary Guards Corps (RGC). Article 6 of the Law of the Employment Regulations of the Guard Corps of the Islamic Revolution states that RGC personnel consist of permanent cadre, duty, contract and Basij (Iran 13 Oct. 1991). The law describes these groups of RGC personnel and makes distinctions among them (ibid.). Article 7 of the law describes the permanent cadre; Article 11 of the same law specifies the duty personnel as draftees (ibid.).
The procedure for the division of draftees among the armed forces and law enforcement forces and how the RGC selects its draftees (duty personnel) is described in the Law of General Military Service (Iran 21 Oct. 1984b). Article 5 of Chapter 1 of that law and its note 1 provide information on the distribution of draftees among the Iranian armed forces.
Articles 16, 20 and 21 of the Implemental Bylaws of the General Military Service Law provide information on the role of the General Military Service Office in the distribution of draftees among the forces (Iran 21 Oct. 1984a).
Note 2 of Article 5 of the Law of General Military Service provides information on the recruitment of draftees by the RGC (Iran 21 Oct. 1984b).
Article 12 of the Law of the Employment Regulations of the Guards Corps refers to two types of volunteers (contract and Basij personnel) within the rank of the RGC
(Iran 13 Oct. 1991). Article 21 of the same law provides information on contract personnel (ibid.). Article 13 of this law describes Basij personnel as volunteers (ibid.).
Please consult the above-mentioned FBIS issue for further information.
The attached pages of The Warriors of Islam: Iran's Revolutionary Guard provides information on the recruitment of draftees and volunteers (Basijis) by the RGC.
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.
References
Iran. Implemental Bylaws of the General Military Service Law. 21 October 1984a. (FBIS-NES-94-208-S 27 Oct. 1994, pp. 116-37)
Iran. Law of the Employment Regulations of the Guard Corps of the Islamic Revolution. 13 October 1991. (FBIS-NES-94-208-S 27 Oct. 1994, pp. 76-108)
Iran. Law of General Military Service. 21 Oct. 1984b. (FBIS-NES-94-208-S 27 Oct. 1994, pp. 108-15)
Attachment
Katzman, Kenneth. 1993. The Warriors of Islam: Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Boulder: Westview Press, pp. 63-65.