Talk of Dissolving IRGC Revives Debate Over Iran’s Dual Military Structure

TEHRAN, Jul 2: Talk of dissolving or restructuring the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reignited debate in Iran over the country's dual military system, following remarks by a state television commentator suggesting that some factions favor dismantling the powerful force.

The comments have sparked widespread discussion across Iranian media and social platforms, with analysts divided over whether the proposal reflects genuine reform efforts or is merely an attempt to rebrand the IRGC while preserving its influence.

The debate comes after the recent conflict exposed questions about the effectiveness, cost and growing political and economic role of the IRGC alongside Iran's regular military.

The proposal itself predates the war. Shortly before the conflict, the Iranian daily Jomhouri-e Eslami called for the IRGC to be merged into the regular army, arguing that Iran's changing security and economic challenges required a review of its military structure. The newspaper said such a move could create a more unified defense system while reducing the Guards' expanding influence in politics, the economy, media and diplomacy.

The proposal was swiftly rejected by hardline figures. Conservative newspaper Kayhan described it as an attempt to weaken the Islamic Republic's defense capabilities, while former Javan newspaper editor Abdollah Ganji condemned the idea, saying it reflected a dangerous misunderstanding at a time of heightened regional tensions.

Some commentators, however, argued that restructuring the IRGC could help reduce international pressure. They noted that the organization's designation as a terrorist group by the United States has complicated Iran's diplomatic and economic relations, suggesting that integration with the regular army could ease some legal and political challenges.

The issue has also fueled sharp divisions on Iranian social media, where hardline users have accused government officials involved in negotiations with the West of seeking to sideline revolutionary institutions. Others warned that any merger would likely result in the regular army being absorbed into the IRGC rather than creating a more conventional military.

The question of merging the IRGC with the regular armed forces has surfaced periodically since the early years of the Islamic Republic. Although no merger has taken place, Iran unified the Defense Ministry and the IRGC Ministry in 1989 for administrative purposes while keeping the two military forces institutionally separate.

Later that year, Ali Khamenei reaffirmed that both the IRGC and the regular army should continue to exist, assigning the IRGC the role of defending the Islamic Revolution while leaving responsibility for protecting Iran's borders to the regular military.