Reuters: IRGC seen as key beneficiary of potential US–Iran deal

Emerging outlines of a potential agreement between Washington and Tehran suggest that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) could be uniquely positioned to benefit from any easing of sanctions and renewed access to the global economy.

The reported framework, aimed at ending hostilities between the two sides, includes provisions that could unlock billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets and reopen parts of the country’s economy to international investment and expanded oil exports, Reuters reports.

However, according to four senior Iranian sources, the IRGC already holds a dominant position in Iran’s economic structure, making it one of the primary actors likely to capture much of the financial gain from sanctions relief.

The elite military and political organization has, over the years, developed a vast commercial empire spanning oil, construction, shipping, telecommunications, and port operations, often operating through networks that have allowed it to function despite international sanctions.

As a result, analysts and sources cited in the report say the IRGC is uniquely positioned to expand its influence further if restrictions are lifted, particularly through renewed oil sales and increased foreign investment flows.

One senior source described the IRGC as “the real winners of the war,” arguing that its entrenched role in Iran’s sanctions-era economy makes it the best placed institution to benefit from any post-conflict economic normalization.

Another senior source pointed to the group’s existing multibillion-dollar business networks, noting that the IRGC already controls significant activity across trade, energy, shipping, and construction sectors, all of which would likely expand under sanctions relief.

The IRGC does not publish financial disclosures, but its extensive involvement in Iran’s economy has long been recognized as a key feature of the country’s parallel state structure.

The prospective deal also faces structural challenges, as the IRGC’s designation by the United States and other Western governments as a sanctioned entity could complicate efforts to reintegrate Iran into global financial and investment systems.

Despite these tensions, Iranian sources suggest the IRGC has signaled support for the broader negotiations, viewing a potential agreement as a means of consolidating its economic and political position within Iran’s system.

By Sabina Mammadli