Iran's 'supreme leader' Khamenei tells country to brace for war In the first such order, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has directed its more than 300,000 troops to prepare for a confrontation with Israel and the United States. IRGC has directed and participated in the Hizbullah war against Israel. "Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards and Basij should prepare themselves to get even with Zionists and Americans," IRGC commander Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi said. "The supreme leader [Ali Khamenei] will announce the time for this."