바시즈의 내부위기 대응전략 변화와 확장

The Change and Expansion of Basij’s Counter-Strategy for Domestic Crises

The Basij is a paramilitary militia established in 1979 by the order of the Islamic revolution’s leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini for protecting Islamic regime from domestic crises. As a pro-governmental and semi-official organization, The Basij has undertaken many duties in terms of internal security, law enforcement, special religious or political events, and moral policing. During the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, the Basij recruited and trained many young men in a short period of time, and deployed them alongside the regular military. The fervent Basijis volunteered to serve on the front line. After the war, the Basij was recognized and gradually developed into one of the Islamic regime’s primary guarantors of domestic security. Since 2007, according to the new strategy called ‘Mosaic Doctrine,’ the Basij has focused on quelling civil unrests and suppressing dissident gatherings. The Basijis are regularly trained in riot-control tactics and to deal with domestic uprisings. They played a key role in crushing opposition protests in 2009 and cut off the waves of ‘Arab Spring’ to Iran in 2011. Most Iranians have high expectations for reformation and social changes at this moment. The Basijs and conservatives are, however, threatened by such changes. They start to control society to prevent future crises.