irgc rank insignia guide
DESCRIPTION
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has become a dominant force in Iranian military, political, economic and foreign affairs, and its senior commanders often speak publicly on critical policy issues. It is difficult to gauge the significance of a commander's remarks, however, without a firm understanding of that individual's relative power within the Islamic Republic. Although military rank is only one of many determinants of power in Iran, it is nonetheless a reliable indicator of authority for military officials. Understanding the IRGC's formal rank system is, therefore, an important component of understanding the Iranian regime's power structure and its key players. This slide deck explains the rank structure of the IRGC and the relative degree of formal military authority granted to guardsmen at each rank.TRANSCRIPT
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Rank Insignia Guide
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei addresses IRGC Commanders July 2010, Tehran (L to R) Basij Deputy Commander BG Ali Fazli, Seyyed al-Shohada Base Commander BG Javad Estaki, Defense Minister
BG Ahmad Vahidi, IRGC Commander MG Mohammad Ali Jafari, Greater Tehran IRGC Commander BG Mohsen Kazemeini 1
Will Fulton, Iran Analyst and IRGC Project Lead, AEI Critical Threats Project
General (Arteshbod / ارتشبد)
Insignia: Four eight-sided stars below crossed swords, a wreath, and the word “Allah” written in the shape of a tulip (“Allah” in this format is the standard stylization for Iran and appears on its flag)
This rank is currently inactive
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Image from uniforminsignia.org
Lieutenant General (Sepahbod / سپهبد)
Insignia: Three eight-sided stars below crossed swords, a wreath, and the word “Allah” written in the shape of a tulip
This rank is currently inactive
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Major General (Sarlashkar / سرلشکر)
Sarlashkar literal translation: “Head of Division”
U.S. equivalent: Lieutenant General (3-star)
Insignia: Two eight-sided stars below crossed swords, a wreath, and the word “Allah” written in the shape of a tulip
Examples of commanders at this rank:
Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Gholam Ali Rashid Armed Forces General Staff Intelligence and Operations Deputy Mohammad Bagheri IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Suleimani
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IRGC Commander Mohammad Ali Jafari
Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff Gholam Ali Rashid
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IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Suleimani
Major General (Sarlashkar / سرلشکر) Continued
Brigadier General First Class (Sartip-e Yekom / سرتيپ يکم)
Sartip literal translation: “Head of Brigade”
Often referred to as “Brigadier General” without class distinction
U.S. equivalent: Major General (2-star)
Insignia: One eight-sided star below crossed swords, a wreath, and the word “Allah” written in the shape of a tulip
Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami IRGC Ground Forces Commander Mohammad Pakpour IRGC Mohammad Rasoul-Allah Unit (Greater Tehran) Commander Mohsen Kazemini
IRGC Operations Deputy Mehdi Rabbani
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Brigadier General First Class (Sartip-e Yekom / سرتيپ يکم) Continued
IRGC Deputy Commander Hossein Salami
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Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi
IRGC Ground Forces Commander
Mohammad Pakpour
Brigadier General Second Class (Sartip-e Dovom / سرتيپ دوم)
Sartip literal translation: “Head of Brigade”
Often referred to as “Brigadier General” without class distinction
U.S. equivalent: Brigadier General (1-star)
Insignia: One eight-sided star below crossed swords, a wreath, and the word “Allah” written in the shape of a tulip
Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Ground Forces Operations Directorate Deputy Morteza Mirian
IRGC Najaf-e Ashraf Operational Base Commander Ali Akbar Nouri
IRGC Imam Hassan Mojtaba Unit (Alborz) Deputy Commander Hamzeh Mir-Taghi
IRGC Shohada Unit (West Azerbaijan) Commander
Mohammad Yousef Shakeri
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Brigadier General Second Class (Sartip-e Dovom / سرتيپ دوم) Continued
IRGC Ground Forces Coordination Deputy
Abdolqassem Foroutan
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Political Advisor to the Supreme Leader’s
Representative to the IRGC Yadollah Javani
IRGC Hamzeh Seyyed al Shohada Base Commander Mohammad Taghi Osanlou
Colonel (Sarhang-e Yekom / سرهنگ يکم)
Sarhang literal translation: “Head of Regiment”
Insignia: Three ten-sided stars arranged in a line
U.S. equivalent: Colonel
Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Seyyed al-Shohada Unit (Tehran province) Deputy Commander Gholam Reza Burbur Sani IRGC 12th Ghaem Independent Brigade Commander Esmail Ghasempour IRGC Mohammad Rasoul-Allah Unit (Greater Tehran) Operations Deputy Reza Farzaneh
IRGC 44th Ghamar Bani Hashem Brigade (West Azerbaijan) Commander
Ali Mohammad Akbari
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Lieutenant Colonel (Sarhang-e Dovom / دومسرهنگ )
Sarhang literal translation: “Head of Regiment”
Insignia: Two ten-sided stars set side-by-side
U.S. equivalent: Lieutenant Colonel
Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Salman Unit (Sistan and Baluchistan) Coordination Deputy Avaz Ali Fagheri IRGC Shirvan District Unit (North Khorasan) Commander Ali Mohammad Mohammadi
IRGC Nain District Unit (Esfehan) Commander Bagher Farhang
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IRGC Kish Unit Commander Hedayat Elah Amiri
Major (Sargord / سرگرد)
Insignia: One ten-sided star
Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Malek Ashtar Resistance Zone (Ilam) Commander Rashid Mamneh
IRGC 110th Salman Farsi Independent Brigade Public Relations Deputy Qassem Hassan-Zadah IRGC Ghamar Bani-Hashem Unit Inspection and Intelligence Deputy Reza Bagheri
IRGC Semirom Unit Imam Hossein Battalion Commander
Mohammad Hassan Saberi 12
Captain (Sarvan / سروان)
Insignia: Four eight-sided stars arranged in a line
Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Firouz Kouh Resistance Zone (Tehran province) Commander Hadi Ilka’
IRGC Jaharom District Unit (Fars) Socio-Cultural Deputy Mohsen Javangir IRGC Mohammad Rasoul-Allah Unit (Guyam District, Shiraz) Commander Hossein Zaraei
Fars Province Student Basij Organization Supervisor
Mohammad Jafar Doustdar
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First Lieutenant (Sotvan-e Yekom / ستوان يکم)
Insignia: Three eight-sided stars arranged in a line
Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Saberin Special Operations Unit Commando Moslem Ahmadi Panah (KIA 3 SEP 2012)
IRGC Abouzar Shabankareh Area Commander Khalil Sabouri
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IRGC Shohada Resistance Zone (Bastak) Commander Mahmoud Sohrabi
Second Lieutenant (Sotvan-e Dovom / ستوان دوم)
Insignia: Two eight-sided stars set side-by-side
Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Khash Unit Physical Training Deputy Ahmad Behdari
IRGC Sabzevar Unit Public Relations Deputy Mohammad Ali Yavari
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Dezful Student Basij Commander Ali Reza Khormand
Third Lieutenant (Sotvan-e Sevom / ستوان سوم)
Insignia: One eight-sided star Examples of commanders at this rank:
IRGC Saberin Special Operations Unit Commando Mojtaba Babaei Zadeh (KIA 3 SEP 2012)
IRGC Imam Hossein Resistance Zone (Goharan) Commander Mojtaba Habashi
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Image from uniforminsignia.org
Image from uniforminsignia.org
Chief Warrant Officer (Ostovar-e Yekom / استوار يکم)
Insignia: Three arches over two horizontal bars
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Warrant Officer Junior Grade (Ostovar-e Dovom / دوماستوار )
Insignia: Three arches over one horizontal bar
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Sergeant First Class (Gorouhban-e Yekom / گروهبان يکم)
Insignia: Three arches
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Image from uniforminsignia.org
Sergeant Second Class (Gorouhban-e Dovom / دومگروهبان )
Insignia: Two arches
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Sergeant Third Class (Gorouhban-e Sevom / گروهبان سوم)
Insignia: One arch
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Corporal (Sarjoukheh / سرجوخه)
Insignia: Three horizontal bars above X over V
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Private First Class (Sarbaz-e Yekom / سرباز يکم)
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Image from uniforminsignia.org
Insignia: Two horizontal bars above X over V
Private Second Class (Sarbaz-e Dovom / دومسرباز )
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Image from uniforminsignia.org
Insignia: One horizontal bar above X over V
Private (Sarbaz-e Sevom / سرباز سوم)
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Image from uniforminsignia.org
Insignia: X over V