<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> WorldTribune.com: Mobile Ñ Iran's elite paramilitary force seen engineering election's outcome

Iran's elite paramilitary force seen engineering election's outcome

Wednesday, June 10, 2009   E-Mail this story   Free Headline Alerts

WASHINGTON Ñ The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has played an unprecedented role in Iran's presidential campaign and could ensure the reelection of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a report said.

The American Enterprise Institute said IRGC, encouraged by supreme leader Ali Khamenei, has for the first time directly inserted iteself in the national elections, focusing on the campaign by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "The 2009 election marks the rise of the IRGC as a key participant in electoral politics, one that necessitates a change in the way analysts approach Iranian politics," the report said.

IRGC has been responsible for Iran's strategic weapons program, including the nuclear weapons project. The elite force operates a separate military, with the navy responsible for all operations in the Gulf. Ahmadinejad had been a senior officer in IRGC, and as president bolstered its role in civilian and military affairs.

Titled "Supremely Undemocratic: The Revolutionary Guards Engineer Iran's Elections," the report was authored by visiting research fellow Ali Alfoneh.

The report said IRGC, regardless of the results, would emerge from the June 12 elections as a king-maker in Iran. Alfoneh said Khamenei has blessed IRGC politicking in an intense effort to ensure victory by Ahmadinejad. A 1982 law bans IRGC from politics.

"Not only has Khamenei issued subtle statements of support for the incumbent and criticism of his opponents, but he has also encouraged IRGC intervention to support Ahmadinejad, despite statutory provisions that ostensibly call for IRGC neutrality," the report said.

IRGC commanders have deemed Ahmadinejad's opponents as too old to become president. Reform candidates, particularly former President Mohammed Khatami, were accused of having harmed Iranian security.

In 2009, the report said, IRGC integrated the paramilitary Basij into military forces. At the same time, IRGC has mobilized its 125,000 personnel to campaign for Ahmadinejad.

"In effect, this would give the IRGC the ability to determine the acceptability of candidates and to use its cadre not only to get out the vote for its chosen candidates, but also to employ physical force to prevent other candidates from campaigning," the report said. "Considering the current trajectory, the IRGC's political activity could very well tip the elections in favor of Ahmadinejad."

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