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Iran has reportedly deployed an elite counterterrorism force called NOPO to protect its newly appointed supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, after his father was assassinated.The black-clad special forces were tasked with protecting the elderly leader after the United States and Israel launched an attack on a compound in Tehran on February 28 at the start of a military operation called “Epic Fury,” according to Fox News.Ali Safavi, an official with the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, said the elite force would now be responsible for protecting the new leader. “NOPO may now protect Mojtaba Khamenei after Khamenei’s ouster,” he told Fox News.

what is NOPO force?

NOPO is the abbreviation of Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat in Persian, which roughly translates to a special forces unit responsible for protecting the regime. Safawi said that the force was established in 1991 and was formerly the 28th Ruhollah Division, named after Ruhollah Khomeini.The force is relatively small but highly specialized, consisting of six brigades, four of which are based in Tehran and the others in Mashhad and Isfahan. Safawi said the force was “more lethal, more brutal and well-trained” than the regular forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.The force, originally created for hostage rescue missions, has also been deployed to respond to internal security threats and suppress anti-government protests. Safavi said some members were involved in recent security crackdowns to prevent unrest across Iran.“Some NOPOs are now involved in the repression and security measures that the regime has also introduced in recent days to prevent protests from breaking out anywhere,” he said, adding that the force had previously shot at demonstrators during the uprising.

Protection in war and uncertainty

The deployment comes days after Iran’s Assembly of Experts appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s third supreme leader on March 8, following the assassination of his father.However, the new leader has not made any public appearances since taking office. Officials said Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in the initial attack but was “unharmed”, AFP reported.Analysts believe he is likely to remain in a high-security location to avoid becoming a target in the ongoing conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel.Security deployment has also been expanded nationwide. Fox News reported that hundreds of NOPO personnel were stationed around prisons housing political prisoners, including the high-security Evin Prison, amid fears of unrest during the war.The elite force has also faced international criticism. In 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on NOPO, saying it “seriously violated the human rights of Iranian citizens.”With Mojtaba Khamenei now the main target in the ongoing conflict, analysts say this highly trained force may remain central to the regime’s efforts to protect its leadership.