Iranian Security Forces

Iranian Security Forces are complex, reflecting the unusually complex mixed clerical and political government structure. They also provide for a check-and-balance by religiously loyal forces against the traditionally more secular and technical regular military, much as the Saudi Arabian National Guard does on the Saudi military, or, in other regimes, the German SS did on the Wehrmacht or the Soviet Organs of State Security did on the Red Army.

At the top of the structure is the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khameini, who is head of state. He is elected, reviewed, and can be deposed by the Assembly of Experts (Majles-Khebregan), a popularly elected body; he has final command authority over all security forces.

Control is exercised through a Supreme National Security Council, chaired by the President of Iran and head of government, Mahmoud Ahminejad.

Three ministries have operational responsibility over most intelligence, military and paramilitary, and police organizations. There are also various quasi-independent forces reporting to various clerics.

Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and National Security

Known as MOIS in English and VEVAK in Farsi,

It has always been controlled by a cleric, and has stayed much more discreet than SAVAK, the intelligence and security system under Shah Reza Pahlevi. It has a more cosmopolitan and diverse workforce than other agencies, and the clerical control is seen as needed because such personnel are not as trusted as those in the more religious organizations.

Its human-source intelligence is reported to be strong in the Middle East, Central Asia and Southeast Asia, but weak in the West. There is a lack of cultural and language skill, and operations have been mainly aimed at Iranian dissidents organizations and covert arms-procurement rings, with poor security and tradecraft. Its personnel use both diplomatic and non-official cover, with the latter frequently using the foreign branches of banks, as well as Iran Air.

The Associated Press reported that Ahminejad fired four senior officials, including the chief of counterespionage, a protege of Khatami, in a bid to take control of the ministry. "This purge is being seen as yet more evidence of the deepening split which has been developing between Ahmadinejad and some of his own conservative camp as well as within the Iranian Intelligence community itself." Ahmadinejad was reported to have IRGC support from two of its officials, Hossein Taeb and Ahmad Salek. He had fired the Minister of Intelligence, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, at the end of July, which was criticized; After that sacking, the 210 lawmakers in the parliament thanked Ejehi for his service in what was widely interpreted as being a criticism of Ahmadinejad, who took over responsibility for the Intelligence Ministry."

Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics

Under a Joint Armed Forces General Staff are separate air, ground, and naval organizations under the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (Pasdaran) of 120,000 regulars plus a much larger number of irregulars and reserves, and regular military (Artesh) of 350,000 regulars.

Iranian Ministry of the Interior

This commands the Law Enforcement Forces of approximately 120,000 police.