Iran operates under a complex web of control, with its highest authority vested in the supreme leader, an ayatollah who dictates the nation’s course. Beneath this leadership lies a dual system of power, manifested in two distinct military forces: the conventional army and the formidable Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC isn’t simply a military force; it’s the regime’s primary instrument of domestic repression. It’s the force that arrests, silences, and brutally suppresses dissent, acting solely on the command of the supreme leader. Simultaneously, it extends its influence abroad, providing support – through funding, training, and coordination – to organizations deemed terrorist by many nations, all while pursuing the regime’s foreign policy goals.
Within Iran itself, law enforcement is similarly divided. The regular police force, known as FARAJA, boasts over 260,000 personnel and technically falls under the Interior Ministry. However, true control resides with the supreme leader, who serves as its commander-in-chief, effectively bypassing civilian oversight.
The appointment of FARAJA’s leadership is a direct prerogative of the supreme leader, ensuring unwavering loyalty. An office dedicated to ideological indoctrination within the force further solidifies this control, leaving the elected president and parliament powerless to influence its direction. This structure was recently reinforced, elevating FARAJA to the same rank as the army and IRGC, cementing the supreme leader’s grip on the nation’s security apparatus.
Operating alongside the regular police is the notorious morality police, officially called the Gasht-e Ershad, or Guidance Patrol. This religious police unit enforces a rigid interpretation of Islamic social codes, with a particular and relentless focus on mandatory hijab for women. Established in 2005, it arose from a resolution aimed at cultivating a culture of “chastity.”
Initially comprised of devout followers and conscripted young men, the Guidance Patrol operates with a chilling efficiency. Unmarked vans, often crewed by men accompanied by female officers, patrol public spaces – shopping centers, squares, subway stations – seeking out perceived violations. Their authority is sweeping: issuing warnings, detaining individuals, levying fines automatically deducted from bank accounts, and even closing businesses deemed non-compliant.
The Guidance Patrol doesn’t operate in isolation. It routinely coordinates with the IRGC and its Basij militia, a volunteer force founded after the Islamic Revolution. This coordination is facilitated by shared ideology and personnel overlap, creating a seamless network of surveillance and control. The Basij actively supplements FARAJA patrols, extending the reach of the regime’s enforcement efforts.
Ahmad-Reza Radan, the current commander of FARAJA, embodies this interconnectedness. His career began within the Basij and IRGC, and he was instrumental in establishing the morality police program itself. His history includes sanctions for human rights abuses and even advising the Assad regime in Syria on suppression tactics.
The overarching coordination of Iran’s security forces is managed by the Supreme National Security Council, chaired by the supreme leader. This council dictates the response to protests, with provincial branches implementing nationwide crackdowns. This centralized control ensures a unified and forceful response to any challenge to the regime’s authority.
One recent manifestation of this control is the “Noor Plan,” meaning “light,” a state-run enforcement campaign launched to aggressively enforce mandatory hijab laws. Following a directive from the supreme leader emphasizing the legal obligation to comply, police have been deployed across the country to confront women without the hijab.
The Noor Plan leverages cutting-edge surveillance technology: drones, facial-recognition software, and ubiquitous street cameras. Facial recognition systems are being installed in universities and roadway cameras scan passing vehicles for violations. A mobile app even allows citizens to report suspected infractions, triggering police alerts and potential vehicle confiscation.
This plan is underpinned by the Hijab and Chastity Law, a comprehensive 71-article measure that expands the authority of intelligence agencies, the IRGC, police, and judiciary to prosecute violations. It authorizes the use of traffic cameras and artificial intelligence to identify offenders and penalize non-compliant businesses.
Iran’s legal system, fully aligned with Islamic law since 1979, provides the framework for these actions. The penal code, based on Sharia, allows for broad discretion in sentencing, particularly through vague charges like “waging war against God” and “spreading corruption on earth,” which can lead to indefinite detention.
While detentions by the morality police are often short-term, involving a warning and a commitment to comply, they represent an entry point into a legal system capable of prolonged and arbitrary imprisonment. Political prisoners, journalists, and activists face the risk of being held indefinitely under these ambiguous charges, with no clear path to release.
