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FEDERALhearing transcript

High Impact

Congressional Hearing on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

Original title: IRAN'S ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS: FUELING MIDDLE EAST TURMOIL

January 1, 2016

foreign policy Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps national security sanctions Middle East

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing provides a public record of congressional concerns regarding the 's control over approximately 30 percent of the Iranian economy and its alleged involvement in testing and regional military conflicts.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

The organization is the primary subject of congressional scrutiny regarding its economic and military activities.

U.S. Foreign Policy Officials

Committee members are evaluating the impact of IRGC activities on U.S. national security and international sanctions.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2016.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on December 2, 2015, to examine the activities of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (). Witnesses and committee members discussed the IRGC's role in regional conflict, its influence over the Iranian economy, and its impact on international security.

Key Facts

The IRGC is reported to control approximately 30 percent of the Iranian economy.
The IRGC's construction arm oversees 800 affiliated companies.
The IRGC operates independently of Iran's regular army and reports directly to the Supreme Leader.
The IRGC is accused of testing long-range ballistic missiles in violation of U.N. sanctions.
The IRGC is alleged to have prevented international investigators from assessing Iran's nuclear program.
The IRGC provides support to the Assad regime in Syria.
The U.S. Treasury Department has labeled the IRGC as Iran's most powerful economic actor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IRGC?

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces that operates independently of the regular army and answers directly to the Supreme Leader.

How much of the Iranian economy does the IRGC control?

According to testimony provided during the hearing, the controls approximately 30 percent of the Iranian economy.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Economic Control by Military

The hearing highlights a specific strategy where major Iranian businesses were nationalized and placed under the control of the IRGC.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Connected Entities

personAli Alfoneh“Senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies”Map →

organizationIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps“Primary subject of the hearing regarding its influence in Iran and the Middle Ea”Map →

personScott Modell“Managing director of The Rapidan Group”Map →

personEdward R. Royce“Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs”Map →

organizationU.S. Treasury Department“Identified the IRGC as a major economic actor in Iran”Map →

personDaniel Benjamin“Director of the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance80
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy60
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment20
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

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