What Is Iran’s NOPO: Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the newly appointed Supreme Leader of belligerent Iran, will now be protected by an elite counterterrorism unit, a report stated on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Mojtaba was elevated to the top seat of Iran following the death of his father and long-time Ayatollah, Ali Khamenei, in United States-led missile strikes during Operation Epic Fury on February 28.
The strikes, which killed his father, mother, wife, and other family members, reportedly left the younger Ayatollah injured.
Following the attack, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had reportedly pushed Ali Khamenei’s son as the next ruler of the country, who is yet to make a public appearance.
While several reports backed by Western media suggested that Khamenei was injured in the US-led attack, a senior Iranian official refuted the claims and said that the new Ayatollah was “safe and sound”.
NOPO Roped In To Protect Khamenei Junior
Amid Israeli threats of killing anyone who will succeed the Ayatollah, a black-clad special counterterrorism force has been roped in by the Iranian establishment to protect the 56-year-old Mojtaba.
A Fox News report stated that with (Ali) Khamenei gone, NOPO will likely now be protecting Mojtaba Khamenei.
The American agency was quoting Ali Safavi, an official with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, or NCRI.
What is NOPO or Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat
Raised in 1991, the NOPO, or Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat, is an elite riot control police unit of Iran that functions under the Special Units Command.
The highly trained unit is the country’s best special force, which was initially tasked with hostage rescue and anti-terrorism operations.
History Of Violent Suppression Of Protests
While being the best trained, NOPO is not particularly unknown or hidden, as it was heavily involved in violent suppression of several protests and demonstrations in the country.
The special force is notorious for its involvement in the 1999 student protests, 2019 unrest, and Mahsa Amini protests and has been accused of severe human rights violations.
“NOPO is the Farsi acronym for Nirouyeh Vijeh Pasdaran Velayat, which translates into the Special Force to Protect the Supreme Leader. Velayat is not necessarily the supreme leader but the entirety of the regime,” Safavi said.
Lethal And More Powerful Than IRGC
NOPO is regarded as an elite unit within the IRGC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was raised in 1979 to defend the Islamic Republic and its leaders from internal and external threats.
The special force reportedly has six units—four stationed in Tehran, one in Mashhad, and one in Isfahan.
“They are far more lethal, ruthless, and well-trained than the IRGC,” he claimed, adding, “This force was used for the protection of Khamenei.”
“They are very well-equipped. Khamenei did not trust any other security force for his protection,” Safavi added.
