Vali-ye Amr special forces unit
Vali-ye Amr formally known as Sepah-e Vali-ye Amr is a covert special forces unit within Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), assigned with the protection of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
History and formation
The unit was established in the mid-1980s after several units of the IRGC divisions, including the 6th Special Division and the 66th Airborne Brigade merged and formed the Vali-ye Amr Corps. The unit was specifically entrusted to provide personal protection to Iran's Supreme Leader. It is thought the unit has as many as 12,000 highly trained soldiers. this unit is one of the IRGC's most secretive and elite formations, that operates the Intelligence Protection Organization of the IRGC. It also oversees other specialized units such as Ansar al-Mahdi and the Aviation Protection Organization.Structure and operations
Vali-ye Amr operates as a highly specialized and secretive unit within the IRGC. Its primary mission is the protection of the Supreme Leader, a role that necessitates a combination of close protection tactics, intelligence gathering, and rapid response capabilities. The unit is also involved in internal security operations and it plays a major role in Iran's domestic defense issues.The unit's operations are shrouded in secrecy, and details about its activities are not publicly disclosed. However, it is known that Vali-ye Amr has been involved in various high-profile security operations, including the protection of the Supreme Leader during periods of heightened security threats. For instance, following threats of assassination by Israel and the United States, Ayatollah Khamenei went into hiding with his family and was guarded by the Vali-ye Amr special forces unit.