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Source: http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070816/FOREIGN/108160081/1001
Iranian Guard Holdings Extensive
[Washington Times] David R. Sands - Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, which faces the prospect of severe U.S. financial sanctions as a "terrorist organization," represents a tempting target given its multibillion-dollar commercial empire ranging from oil fields to honeybee farms. According to the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, the IRGC's engineering arm, Ghorb Khatam, won a string of major contracts from the Ahmadinejad government, including a $1.2 billion deal to build part of the Tehran subway, a $1.3 billion oil pipeline contract, and a no-bid $2 billion commission to develop parts of the vast South Pars natural gas field. Brig. Gen. Abdolreza Abed, the Ghorb chief who is also IRGC deputy commander, said in June 2006 that the total worth of the company's 1,200 projects prior to the big new deals was about $3.5 billion. The Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran said IRGC commercial enterprises include firms and investments in construction, finance, movie production, poultry farming, import licensing and real estate. "On several occasions, the IRGC has taken over huge pieces of land in posh areas of major cities, Tehran in particular, and [has used force] to suppress the other government agencies that had claims to these lands," the council said.