Basij Student Military Instruction

The Basij (Baseej-e Mostaz'afin or "The Mobilized Oppressed"), is a volunteer based Iranian National Guard force founded by order of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on November 1979. There is a local Basij organization in nearly every city in Iran. They serve as an auxiliary paramilitary force engaged in activities such as law enforcement, emergency management, social service provider and religious ceremonial organization. The Basij are subordinate to, and obey the orders of, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Foremost, they consitute the homeguard for Iran against foreign invasion, and number in the millions. Pictured above are student volunteers in training.