Former Iranian Minister: IRGC Ground Forces 5 Times Larger Than US Army

“Today, the number of the IRGC Ground Force is five times more than the US army and it is the Ground Force which ends the wars,” Rafiqdoust said, addressing a gathering in Tehran on Sunday.

“The IRGC Ground Force can send 6 million ready-for-combat troops to the battleground in less than 10 days,” he added.

Noting that the country’s warehouses are full of weapons and military equipment, Rafiqdoust said, “Our missiles are ready to be fired at Israel. This has been shown to the Americans and they have been allowed to have videos” (through their broadcast on Iranian TV).

Firing one artillery round against Iran by Israel would mean that “Iran will turn Tel Aviv into dust”, he underlined.

In relevant remarks in 2014, Commander of the IRGC Ground Force Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said his troops are among the best in the region.

“Today, the Army and IRGC’s Ground Forces are among the best and most powerful ground forces of the region,” Pakpour told reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony to commemorate IRGC Missile Industry martyrs in Tehran.

Also in the same year, General Pakpour underscored the IRGC’s full preparedness to defend the security and territorial integrity of Iran powerfully.

“Thanks God and due to the good management done by Iran, we have no special security problem in the country; generally speaking, the problems are in our neighboring countries and sometimes the terrorist elements are directed towards Iran from outside,” Pakpour said at the time.

“The dedicated forces of the IRGC Ground Force are fully ready to defend and establish security in every part of Iran under any conditions,” he added then.