Mojtaba Khamenei defies ‘malicious’ attacks as US Army zeroes in on Iran’s 350,000 troops

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei claimed Oct. 8 that U.S. and Israeli strikes had failed to undermine Iran's domestic security forces, praising police personnel for resisting attacks launched in February under Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion.

Khamenei's remarks on X also came as the U.S. Army released a new battlefield identification guide to help American troops recognize members of Iran's conventional military, known as the Artesh, whose ground forces were estimated by the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security in June at 350,000 personnel.

"The criminal US-Zionist enemy's desperate efforts and malicious attacks on the pillars of social order and security, which are unparalleled throughout history, have not caused the courageous personnel of the Police Force to waver even a fraction in their mission," Khamenei wrote in a statement.

Khamenei specifically praised Iran's Law Enforcement Command, known as FARAJA, accusing the United States and Israel of targeting the institution responsible for maintaining domestic order.

"The focus and persistence of the criminal US-Zionist enemy in striking at the Police Force at its various levels, from its highest command levels down to those who are on the frontline, has only served to underscore the paramount importance of this institution more than ever," he wrote.

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Iran's security apparatus comprises three principal branches: the Artesh, responsible primarily for conventional territorial defense; the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), tasked with protecting the Islamic Republic and projecting military power; and FARAJA, responsible for domestic law enforcement and internal security.

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FARAJA, commanded by Brig. Gen. Ahmadreza Radan, is responsible for maintaining public order, enforcing the country's laws and responding to civil unrest.

According to Iran Human Rights Monitor, the force has evolved into a powerful internal security institution involved in suppressing anti-government demonstrations, monitoring political activity and enforcing the regime's ideological restrictions.

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Radan has also been sanctioned by the United States for his role in human rights abuses.

The Treasury Department designated him in September 2010, citing his responsibility for beatings, killings and arbitrary arrests of protesters following Iran's disputed 2009 presidential election.

Khamenei also called for strengthening FARAJA on Oct. 8 through additional personnel, equipment and technology, including the use of artificial intelligence for data analysis.

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His remarks come as the U.S. Army's Training and Transformation Command published a "Know the Threat" recognition guide Sept. 24, highlighted by Defense News on Oct. 9.

The guide shows an Iranian special forces soldier and identifies weapons American troops could encounter, including AKM rifles, Iranian-made Masaf-2 rifles, German-designed G3 rifles, MG3 machine guns and RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launchers.

The Artesh, Iran's regular military, is separate from the IRGC and its affiliated Basij militia. Its forces operate across four branches: the Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Force.

A June assessment by the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security estimated the Artesh's Ground Forces at approximately 350,000 personnel, including 220,000 conscripts.

The report found that the Artesh had suffered severe losses across its air, naval and air defense components during the opening phase of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign, while its ground forces remained structurally intact because there had been no ground invasion.

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The Artesh is commanded by Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami, a former Iranian defense minister who assumed command in June 2025.

Aside from Khamenei, Hatami issued his own warning Oct. 6, claiming Iran's adversaries faced "historic confusion" after failing to halt military production during the conflict.

Hatami also claimed that Iranian defense production continued despite American and Israeli attacks, saying the country's military production lines had continued operating during the conflict.

The extent of Iran's military recovery remains unclear. The Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security assessed in June that the country's conventional air, naval and air defense forces had suffered severe damage during the conflict.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said Oct. 8 that Washington would not resume military strikes against Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, citing "productive discussions" between the two countries.