What is it?
The Quds Force (Persian pronunciation Niru-ye Qods) is the unit of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) responsible for operations beyond Iran's borders. Qods is the Arabic and Persian name for Jerusalem. English sources also refer to it as the IRGC-QF.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the unit emerged from within the IRGC in the 1980s, during the Iran-Iraq War. Like the IRGC itself, it is ultimately accountable to the Supreme Leader.
How does it work?
The Quds Force is the main institution handling Iran's relations with allied non-state armed groups in the region. CFR says it provides them with "training, weapons, money, and military advice." The partners CFR lists include Lebanon's Hezbollah, Hamas, armed groups in Iraq and Yemen's Houthis (Ansarallah). According to the U.S. Treasury, the Fatemiyoun Division, made up of Afghan migrants and deployed in the Syrian civil war, was also among the groups supporting the Quds Force.
The unit's best-known commander was Qasem Soleimani. He was killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020, and his deputy, Esmail Qaani, was named commander the same day.
The Quds Force comes up often in sanctions news. When the United States designates Iran-linked banks, exchange houses and companies, it frequently cites transactions carried out on the Quds Force's behalf.
Why does it matter?
The Quds Force is described as the military and financial backbone of the regional alliance network that Iran calls the "Axis of Resistance." Understanding its role is necessary to follow developments in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, along with the sanctions tied to them. In the Persian press, the unit's name usually appears alongside IRGC news, while Western governments' sanctions announcements often cite it as the beneficiary of Iran-linked financial networks. Official Iranian sources say little about its activities.
Debates
The U.S. Treasury designated the Quds Force under counterterrorism authority on October 25, 2007. According to its Wikipedia entry, countries including Canada, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have also designated it a terrorist organization. Iran presents the Quds Force as a legitimate defense institution against Israel and foreign military presence. The unit's size and budget aren't public, and estimates in outside sources vary widely.
