Iran, The Basij (literally "Mobilization"; also Basij-e Mostaz'afin, literally "Mobilization of the Oppressed"; officially Nirou-ye Moqavemat-e Basij, literally "Mobilisation Resistance Force") is a paramilitary volunteer militia founded by the order of the Ayatollah Khomeini in November 1979.
The Basij are (at least in theory) subordinate to, and receive their orders from, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
However they have also been described as "a loosely allied group of organizations" including "many groups controlled by local clerics."
Ayatollah Khamenei described Basij as "the greatest hope of the Iranian nation" and "an immaculate tree".
Consisting of young Iranians who volunteer to join this force, often in exchange for official benefits, the Basij are most notable for their loyalty to the supreme leader Khamenei.
Currently Basij serve as an auxiliary force engaged in activities such as internal security as well as law enforcement auxiliary, the providing of social service, organizing of public religious ceremonies, and more famously morals policing and the suppression of dissident gatherings.
They have a local organization in almost every city in Iran.
As of October 2009 Mohammad Reza Naqdi is the commander of the Basij, replacing Hossein Taeb.
The force has often been present and reacting against the widespread protests which occurred immediately after the 2009 Iranian presidential election and in the months following
