Long known for orchestrating smuggling supplies and providing unwavering support to the Quds Force, the formidable overseas arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the secrets of Unit 700’s activities are slowly being unraveled.
These leaks expose Unit 700 as a critical conduit for the transfer of military resources to the regime’s proxy forces across the region, operating as a hidden lifeline for the Quds Force. The unit is integral to finding and delivering essential provisions, arming, and reinforcing various regional proxy groups.
This intricate network has come to the fore with reports of Unit 700’s clandestine weapon and military equipment supplies to the IRGC and Hezbollah during the Syrian earthquake in February 2023.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing Unit 700’s concealed cargo at Aleppo Airport in the aftermath of the earthquake, causing significant concern. It has been alleged that these supplies, which arrived under the guise of humanitarian aid, were part of a broader, coordinated operation involving several units of the Quds Force, including Unit 18000, based in Syria.
In a startling revelation, Hamzeh Qalandari, International Deputy of the regime’s Ministry of Defense, confirmed during an interview with the Fars news agency the provision of support to their Syrian counterparts. Other covert units, such as Unit 18340, known for its role in the development of highly precise missiles, also contribute to these operations.
The background to these recent revelations can be traced back to the establishment of the IRGC by Ruhollah Khomeini. Initially formed to counterbalance political issues, the IRGC grew into a force directly accountable to the Ayatollah. Its primary objective is to protect the regime from overthrow, with the Quds Force expanding its influence across the region in the last three decades, from aiding the fight against ISIS to supporting various regional militias.
As the activities of Unit 700 and other clandestine units continue to be exposed, the full extent of the Quds Force’s operations and its widespread influence in the region becomes clearer. It remains to be seen how these revelations will impact the Iranian regime and its various regional proxies.
Source » stopfundamentalism