Iranian Guards Corps preparing for change

Planning should be made for changes in the corps, Commander of Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said in the first meeting of IRGC commanders and officials in the new Iranian year (started March 21), Iran Daily reported with reference to Fars News Agency.

Jafari expressed hope that the elite Guard would go the extra mile in the new Iranian year that has been named by the Leader as the 'Year of Economic Jihad'.

Jafari said IRGC performance should comply with advances and developments of the Islamic system.

"If we do not correctly analyze the present status of the (ruling) system and not forecast the future properly, it is obvious that we will not be able to fulfill our duties regarding organizational management.

The general recommended IRGC commanders to keep their forces prepared all the time and view closely the dimensions of their missions to be able to perform in the best possible manner.

"The Islamic Revolution is a hub of major developments at the regional level. Regional Muslims are seeking new facets of the revolution as their role model," he said.

Last week, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the political movements in the region were partly the product of the resistance of the Iranian people and in future new developments would be seen at the regional level.

IRGC, an Iranian elite unit, is the real power in society, which is represented not only in administration, but also in financial and commercial sectors. The Guard Corps has extensive economic interests in the defense materials, construction, oil and nuclear industry. Currently, its influence on the Iranian economy grows as many foreign companies have been unable or unwilling to compete for tenders because of the international sanctions.