The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces that was created by Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini after the Iranian Revolution. They are only accountable to the Supreme Leader and not the constitution or any other branch of the Armed Forces. The IRGC also has a large media arm. Because of this, they are seen as a threat or reason for concern by many Iranian state actors and international actors.

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"In his will, Khamenei's predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, explicitly asked the military to stay out of factional politics, warning, 'The revolution belongs to all the nation.' Even Khamenei, who has embraced the IRGC much more closely, has stressed the same message. In an October 2016 communiqué, for example, he forbade
military, security, and intelligence forces from intervening in elections."

While it is true that Khamenei has refrained from directly or forcibly in elections it is still an understatement to say that he "embraced the IRGC more closely"as he played a large role in increasing their prominence and power.
 

The IRGC has been designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and Saudi Arabia which is a rarity as Saudi Arabia is frequently accused of sponsoring terrorism.