State TV, after cracking down the protests is starting to create programs to attribute all vandalism and deaths to peaceful protesters. This is a very old and known trick by Iran government and the main reason behind their fear from free media. These two images clearly shows Basij forces in civilan dresses but having guns and shields and helmets the same as riot police, shooting and beating protesters in Tehran protests 20 June.Guns are circled but as said before all of them are armed.

Basij-ology

Iran government uses Basij forces who do not obey any specific military rules, dress as civilian but armed like polices. They are the tool for regime to broadcast a very monolithic, democratic! in divine way and islamic face from the country to the outside wotld mainly for propaganda, fooling foreign media, create a positive image among other islamic countries to gain poularity and run away from human rights comitee.

They are mobilized from around the country for ideologic gatherings, to show huge heiling crowd to the world. They are sent to mission on burning flags and shout in front of embassies while the state TV calls them "student protests against west!". And when needed, they suppress protests, vandalize and destroy public property while due to their civil dress the government attributes the death and debris to protesters and comes out clean handed.

The Basij operates as part of IRGCs and are directly under the control of supreme leader, the dictator Ali Khamenei. As a well known fact in the country all of them carry guns even while walking on streets. They detain people with no court when feel liking, accusing of being'anti-revolutionary' face.The road stops to beat youngsters who do not closely obey islamic way of looks, beating women with less than perfect islamic veil, breaking into parties and ceremonies, .. are their usual tasks. They sometimes give hand to moral police in that respect but their important mission is to be part of rapid action power to control domestic unrest. They are the hideous suppressor arm of the regime against protests, kept as groups in mosques, factories and government buildings the government mobilizes them very fast to the areas of need.They are extremely well paid and receive university sit, free rations, and free trips.Overall they are respected as fascists in the country and extremely hated by youngesters.

There is a well established rule in Iran, No one can reach a high position in a government office or even a moderatelty large private sector without being a member of Basij which people usually hide because of the negative feeling of commnunity about the fascist gang.They oath to support the regime whatever and whenever, their believe in islam is very dogmatic and Taliban like, that's why they are called "Taliban" inside country. Ahmadinejad is a high ranking Basij member who sometimes wears their specific shawl around his neck.

Basij has "Women branch" too which are domestically jokingly known as "Zaynab Commando". Dressed in heavy islamic veils the government uses them as rude and fierce moral police against woman.

These are the ones you see in friday prayers hailing for the leader, these are the ones who burn the flag of other countries and these are the guys who are gathered in front of embassies and ... when the government needs to make a pro-government civilian demonstration because they dress as civilian which is used for propaganda and fooling foreign media.