When the first wave of US-Israeli strikes pounded Iran on February 28, it wiped out Mojtaba Khamenei’s immediate family, including his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his wife and his teen son. However, amid the devastation, the man who would soon emerge as Iran’s new Supreme Leader survived — severely wounded, but alive. Behind that unlikely escape might be the shadowy hand of Iran’s most secretive and elite security unit, known as NOPO.
Mojtaba, however, has not been seen in person since being named his father’s successor. In his first statement on Thursday, the new Supreme Leader pledged that Iran would continue fighting. However, the statement was read by a news anchor. Latest reports claim Mojtaba is likely in a coma, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth asserting that he was “disfigured”. But Mojtaba must be kept alive, and the task to safeguard him lies with NOPO.
NOPO is the Farsi acronym for Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat. It roughly translates to a “special force tasked with protecting the regime”. At a recent interview with Fox News, Ali Safavi, an official with the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said the special force had been tasked with securing Mojtaba. “With Khamenei gone, NOPO will likely now be protecting Mojtaba Khamenei,” Safavi said.
WHAT IS IRAN’S NOPO?
Established in 1991 during the regime of Iran’s first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, NOPO was carved out of the 28th Rohallah Division — a unit tasked with protecting him. It was kept separate from the Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Now, let us understand the security structure in Iran. There is the regular army, known as the Artesh, comprising the ground force, air force, navy, and air defence force.
Then comes the IRGC, created after the 1979 revolution that saw the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty. The IRGC, consisting of around 1.2 lakh personnel, reports directly to the Supreme Leader and operates independently of the regular army. Over the years, the IRGC has built a network of proxy militias in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.
The NOPO is distinct from the IRGC. It is more lethal, ruthless, and better-trained than the IRGC, operating with considerable secrecy. While the force may not be as large as the IRGC, it is highly specialised. While four brigades protect the Supreme Leader, two others are based in Mashhad and Isfahan, a key nuclear site.
Entry into the elite force is complicated and highly selective. In an interview in 2016 to Iranian news agency ISNA, former NOPO commander Hossein Amjadian said it involved rigorous screening. Even after selection, the personnel are made to undergo extensive physical and tactical training. The personnel also have to be specialists in martial arts and self-defence.
WHERE ARE NOPO FORCES DEPLOYED?
The black-clad special force is specifically deployed to quell internal threats, protests, and in hostage situations.
NOPO is believed to have been put in action during key phases of domestic unrest, from the 1999 student protests to the 2022 uprising that followed the custodial death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Amini was detained by Iran’s morality police for not wearing her hijab “properly” and later died in custody.
Amini’s death sparked protests unlike any Iran had seen before. A violent crackdown ordered by Khamenei killed more than 500 people.
The NOPO has been key in such high-stakes scenarios. “This absolute loyalty is a crucial factor in high-intensity internal conflicts where the regime’s survival is at stake,” Safavi of NCRI told Fox News.
In 2021, the US imposed sanctions on NOPO for committing “serious human rights abuses”. However, in Iran, the elite counterterrorism unit continues to be a vital asset tasked with protecting the Supreme Leader for generations after generations.
