The story of the Basij, a paramilitary organization in Iran, begins in 1979 when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini rallied the nation to form a “20 million army” to protect the fledgling revolution. By 1981, this force found its place within the ranks of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), an entity that Australia designated as a state sponsor of terrorism last year.

During the Iran-Iraq War, Basij members were sent to the front lines, where they faced staggering losses. These volunteers, often young and inexperienced, were part of human wave attacks—a strategy that relied on overwhelming enemy positions and clearing minefields through sheer numbers.

The organization’s continuity post-war is somewhat murky, with conflicting accounts of whether it was disbanded and later resurrected or if it persisted without pause. Despite the uncertainty about its operational history, what remains clear is the Basij’s current role as an instrument of domestic control within Iran.

As for its size, estimates of the Basij’s membership vary, reflecting the secretive and complex nature of the organization. Nevertheless, its influence over Iranian society is undeniable and continues to be a significant force within the country’s political landscape.

Estimates on the number of members vary.

They are young, incredibly loyal to the supreme leader – active members go through 45 days of ideological training – and monitor citizens’ behaviour throughout Iranian society.

Membership isn’t just driven by loyalty to the ayatollah; there are significant perks on offer to those who sign up.

“Completing the training in Basij is a prerequisite to receiving social privileges… financial bonuses, loans on favourable terms, discounts on religious trips to holy places, social welfare or access to universities,” the Journal of Modern Science reported last year. 

“Depending on their rank, Basij members also receive financial compensation.”

How does the Basij respond to protests?

According to the US-based thinktank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Basij is one of three Iranian organisations typically tasked with restraining protests, alongside the Law Enforcement Command (LEC) – the country’s national police force – and the wider IRGC.

The paramilitary force was particularly noticeable in the response to protests over the 2009 presidential election, as well as in major demonstrations in both 2017-18 and 2022.

During the latter, an Amnesty International report detailed how Basij agents disguised themselves in the crowds, before breaking cover to assault protesters with batons, stun guns and rifle butts, and arrest them.

That Amnesty report also outlined how sexual violence was used by Iranian security forces, including the Basij.

“Agents repeatedly took [a protester] and the other women into different rooms for 15-30 minutes at a time to rape them and then throw them out into the hall in a degrading manner when they had finished with them,” a mental health worker who treated several survivors said in the report.

“She said the rape was systematic, that it was very clear they knew what they were doing, as if they had planned this,” the health worker added.

The Basij was rapidly mobilised during the current protests, and while an internet blackout has strangled the flow of information out of Iran recently, eyewitness accounts have emerged of its agents firing at demonstrators and driving into people, including those not involved in the rallies.

Exactly how many Iranians have been killed is unknown at this stage.

“The Iranian regime is using an unprecedented level of brutality to suppress protests,” the ISW said, without putting forward an exact number of deaths. 

“Security forces have fired on crowds indiscriminately – in some cases with machine guns – and killed scores of citizens across numerous locations,” it added.

“Some Iranians who have bypassed the internet shutdown have reported very high volumes of dead protesters on the streets and in hospitals and morgues.

“Some reports alleged the presence of 700-1000 dead protesters at just one morgue in Tehran, not accounting for other locations around the capital or the country overall…

“This anecdotal information is most consistent with the regime killing many thousands in its crackdown.”