Iran’s Elite Forces Use Cadet Training to Shape Loyalty, Defectors Say

DW’s investigative team spent months exchanging messages with two senior Iranian military defectors, gaining unprecedented insight into the mindset of the regime’s most trusted officers. The correspondents described a systematic effort within elite units to indoctrinate young cadets, emphasizing absolute loyalty to the Supreme Leader and the state’s ideological goals.

According to the defectors, a covert circle exists inside these forces that not only monitors dissent but also plans targeted killings of perceived opponents. This hidden network, they claim, operates beyond official channels and is tasked with eliminating threats to the regime’s stability.

The revelations suggest that Iran’s military apparatus combines rigorous ideological training with clandestine violent operations, reinforcing the regime’s grip on power while suppressing internal criticism.

Why It Matters

Understanding these internal mechanisms helps Western governments assess Iran’s security posture and the risks of covert violence spilling beyond its borders.