Amid the Iran War and the prospect of renewed domestic unrest, this seminar will examine how the Islamic Republic maintains its grip on power. Drawing on original primary research—including material obtained from inside the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) headquarters—it will offer a rare look inside the regime's extensive apparatus of domestic repression. The seminar will uncover the IRGC's internal security infrastructure, from covert bases and facilities to its battalions, operational units and command structures. It will reveal how the regime systematically organises and coordinates repression, including the operational methods and tactics it employs before, during and after popular protests. It will also examine how the IRGC is adapting its security machinery amid external conflict, explore shifting power dynamics within the ruling elite, and assess potential scenarios for the Islamic Republic's future.
Kasra Aarabi is the Director of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Research at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). He specializes in Iranian military and security affairs, as well as Shi’a extremism. Previously, he served as the Iran Program Lead at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and as an advisor on Iran to the Executive Chairman, former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair. He was also a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. Kasra is regularly sought after for counsel by governments, policymakers, military officials, and non-governmental organizations. He has testified on Iran before multiple parliaments and is a frequent contributor to international media. Kasra is a native Persian (Farsi) speaker and holds an MA (with Distinction) in International Relations and a BA (First Class) in International Politics, both from King’s College London. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of St Andrews, where his research focuses on the IRGC. Follow him @KasraAarabi
