“Hundreds of thousands of Iranian fighters” prepared to fight ISIL to the death if so ordered

The Commander of Iran’s Basij (volunteer) forces Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi said “hundreds of thousands of Iranian fighters stand  ready to be dispatched to the battlefields in the region to fight against the terrorists and Takfiri groups, especially  ISIL “, according to Fars news agency. “Furthermore they will fight to the death if so ordered”, the general added.

ISIL stands for “The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.”  In June 2014, it had at least 4,000 fighters in its ranks in Iraq, and the CIA estimated in September 2014 that it had 20,000–31,500 fighters in Iraq and Syria (source: In June 2014, it had at least 4,000 fighters in its ranks in Iraq,[30] and the CIA estimated in September 2014 that it had 20,000–31,500 fighters in Iraq and Syria http://news.yahoo.com/20-000-31-500-fighters-iraq-syria-cia…). 

“The mujahid (warrior) and faithful forces are ready in their own cities; the Syrian, Iraqi and Lebanese people have enough forces and they don’t want us to send them any troops. But if they needed our forces, then it would be the easiest job that we could do as there are hundreds of thousands of volunteer forces could be dispatched to anywhere in the region even tomorrow,” Naqdi said in the Southern city of Ahwaz earlier this week.

Some military analysts I talk to feel that Iran is a major player in the  region and could easily join forces with Syria and Iraq to combat and completely destroy all remnants of ISIL in those countries within a few months or less.

Iran has one of the largest, best equipped and trained military forces (ranked 9th) in the world.

The Iranian armed forces consist of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force. The regular armed forces have an estimated 425,000 personnel: the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, 350,000 personnel; the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, 18,000 personnel, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, 52,000 airmen.

The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, or Revolutionary Guards, has an estimated 120,000 personnel in five branches: Its own Navy, Aerospace Force, and Ground Forces; and the Quds Force (Special Forces).

The Basij is a paramilitary volunteer force controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Its membership is a matter of controversy. Iranian sources claim a membership of 12.6 million, including women, of which perhaps 3 million are combat capable. There are a claimed 2,500 battalions of which some are full-time personnel.

GlobalSecurity.org quotes a 2005 study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimating 90,000 active-duty full-time uniformed members, 300,000 reservists, and a total of 11 million men that can be mobilized if need be.

Source: Global Security estimates http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/iran/basij.htm

* Note: It should be understood that the US is responsible for helping to create ISIL in the first place as part of a misguided effort on the part of President Obama to fund terrorism and destabilize the region.

See video: US was responsible for training ISIS in Jordan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhuo7-U7mOo

See video: Rand Paul: Obama’s plans means siding with Islamic terrorists http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xjc-ToK7AQ

See video: US funding terrorists in Syria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3wunzGveRM

See video: US funding terrorists organizations in Syria http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbIRGbeipbw