By Shervin Omidvar

Source:

April 21, 2010

The commander of the para-military Basij force Mohammad Reza Naghdi announced changes to funding procedures for the group, noting, “The amount of funding for each Basij base will be in direct proportion to the number of its members.”  He also distinguished between “active” and “non-active” Basij members, adding, “The definition of an active Basij member has changed.”

Naghdi also announced “structural changes” in the Basij and the side-stepping of some Basij commanders, emphasizing the “importance of youth in leadership,” adding, “Older and more experienced Basij members must serve in advisory roles.”

To suppress popular protests that erupted in response to last summer’s presidential election, the police, security forces and the Islamic Passdaran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) relied on the help of special Basij units, such as “Ashoura” and “Al-Zahra” brigades.  The weakness of the Basij forces, especially the “lack of participation from some Basij bases” in suppressing the protests has apparently prompted Basij commanders to divide Basij members and bases into the “active” and “non-active” camps.

In explaining the new meaning of an active Basij member, commander Mohammad Reza Naghdi said, “From now on, an active Basij member is someone who participates in programs such as the ‘Salehin Program,’ and takes part for at least 3 hours a week in ideological sessions designed to discuss and study ideological issues, and works for at least 12 hours a month at a Basij base.”

The Salehin Program, which the Basij commander recounted as a prerequisite for becoming an active Basij member, is a pyramid-like scheme composed of 10 to 20 Basij members operating under the leadership of a Basij commander authorized by the IRGC’s senior leadership.  The units participate in special ideological, military and political operations.

The Basij commander also announced that Basij bases will receive funding proportional to their “number of members” and “level of activity.”  The precise budget set aside for the Basij has not been announced, but commander Naghdi noted that it has increased 19 percent compared to 1388.

According to the former commander of the Basij, Hossein Taeb, the Basij budget had increased 200 percent in 1388, compared to 1387.

Commander Mohammad Reza Naghdi, who is Iraqi by descent, was promoted by ayatollah Khamenei to lead the Basij force last fall.