Islamic Republic Of Iran Armed Forces
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The Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, are the combined military forces of
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, comprising the
Islamic Republic of Iran Army , founded = , current_form = (Islamic Republic) , disbanded = , branches = , headquarters = Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran , website = , commander-in-chief = Maj. Gen. ...
(''Arteš''), the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
(''Sepâh'') and the Law Enforcement Force (Police). Iranian Armed Forces are the largest in the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
in terms of active troops. Iran's military forces are made up of approximately 610,000
active-duty Active duty, in contrast to reserve duty, is a full-time occupation as part of a military force. In the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations, the equivalent term is active service. India The Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed F ...
personnel plus 350,000
reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...
and trained personnel that can be mobilized when needed, bringing the country's military manpower to about 960,000 total personnel. These numbers do not include Law Enforcement Force or Basij. Most of Iran's imported weapons consist of
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
systems purchased before the
1979 Islamic Revolution The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
, with limited purchases from the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
in the 1990s following the
Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations Security Council ...
. However, the country has since then launched a robust domestic rearmament program, and its inventory has become increasingly indigenous. According to Iranian officials, most of the country's military hardware is domestically manufactured, and the country had already become an exporter of arms by the 2000s. Unable to import weapon systems from abroad due to international and U.S. sanctions, and suffering from an increasingly aging air force fleet, Iran has invested considerable funds into an ambitious ballistic and cruise missile program for long-range strike capability, and has manufactured different types of arms and munitions, including
tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...
s,
armoured vehicles Military vehicles are commonly armoured (or armored; see spelling differences) to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, shells, rockets, and missiles, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include armoured fight ...
and drones, as well as various naval assets and aerial defense systems. Iran's ballistic missile and space program is an internationally hot political topic over which it has consistently refused to negotiate. Iranian authorities state that the country's missile program is not designed to deliver nuclear payloads, but used only for surgical strikes, and is therefore not relevant to any nuclear negotiations with the
P5+1 P5 may refer to: In science and technology * 311P/PANSTARRS, also known as P/2013 P5 (PANSTARRS), an asteroid discovered by the Pan-STARRS telescope on 27 August 2013 * P5 Truss Segment, an element of the International Space Station * Period ...
. The Iranian drone program has also raised concerns across the Middle East and much of the Western world, especially with proliferation among Iranian-allied forces in the Middle East, as well as limited exports to countries hostile to the U.S. According to
U.S. Central Command The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Tas ...
chief Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the U.S is "for the first time since the Korean War operating without complete air superiority" due to threats posed by Iranian drones. All branches of the armed forces fall under the command of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces. The
Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics The Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL; fa, وزارت دفاع و پشتیبانی نیروهای مسلح, vezarat-e defa' va poshtibani-ey niruha-ye mosallah) is the defence ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran and pa ...
is responsible for planning
logistics Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...
and funding of the armed forces and is not involved with in-the-field military operational command. The commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the Supreme Leader.


History

After the coup in 1953, Iran began purchasing some weapons from
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and other countries of the
Western Bloc The Western Bloc, also known as the Free Bloc, the Capitalist Bloc, the American Bloc, and the NATO Bloc, was a coalition of countries that were officially allied with the United States during the Cold War of 1947–1991. It was spearheaded by ...
. Later on, Iran began establishing its own armaments industry; its efforts in this remained largely unrecognized internationally, until recently. Following the
Iranian revolution The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
in 1979, deteriorating relations with the U.S. resulted in international sanctions led by the US, including an arms embargo being imposed on Iran. Revolutionary Iran was taken by surprise by the Iraqi invasion that began the
Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations Security Council ...
of 1980–1988. During this conflict, there were several conflicts against the United States. From 1987, the
United States Central Command The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM or CENTCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the U.S. Department of Defense. It was established in 1983, taking over the previous responsibilities of the Rapid Deployment Joint Ta ...
sought to stop Iranian mine-laying vessels from blocking the international
sea lane A sea lane, sea road or shipping lane is a regularly used navigable route for large water vessels (ships) on wide waterway A waterway is any navigable body of water. Broad distinctions are useful to avoid ambiguity, and disambiguation wi ...
s through the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
in
Operation Prime Chance Operation Prime Chance (August 1987 – June 1989) was a United States Special Operations Command operation intended to protect U.S.-flagged oil tankers from Iranian attack during the Iran–Iraq War. The operation took place roughly at the s ...
. The operation lasted until 1989. On April 18, 1988, the US retaliated for the Iranian
mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic via ...
of the in
Operation Praying Mantis Operation Praying Mantis was an attack on 18 April 1988, by the United States Armed Forces within Iranian territorial waters in retaliation for the Iranian naval mining of the Persian Gulf during the Iran–Iraq War and the subsequent damage t ...
. Simultaneously, the Iranian armed forces had to learn to maintain and keep operational, their large stocks of US-built equipment and weaponry without outside help, due to the American-led sanctions. However, Iran was able to obtain limited amounts of American-made armaments, when it was able to buy American spare parts and weaponry for its armed forces, during the
Iran–Contra affair The Iran–Contra affair ( fa, ماجرای ایران-کنترا, es, Caso Irán–Contra), often referred to as the Iran–Contra scandal, the McFarlane affair (in Iran), or simply Iran–Contra, was a political scandal in the United States ...
. At first, deliveries came via Israel and later, from the US. The Iranian government established a five-year rearmament program in 1989 to replace worn-out weaponry from the Iran–Iraq War. Between 1989 and 1992, Iran spent $10 billion on arms, some of which were designed to prevent other states' naval vessels from accessing the sea, including marines and long-range Soviet planes capable of attacking aircraft carriers. A former military-associated police force, the
Iranian Gendarmerie The Iranian Gendarmerie, also called the Government Gendarmerie ( fa, ژاندارمری دولتی, Žāndārmirī-ye Daulatī), was the first rural police force, and subsequent modern highway patrol, in Iran. A paramilitary force, it also played ...
, was merged with the National Police (
Shahrbani ''Shahrbani'' ( fa, شهربانی, Šahrbānī, lit=urban protection), formerly called ''Nazmiyeh'' ( fa, نظمیه, Naẓmīya, lit=order agency), was a law enforcement force in Iran with police duties inside cities. Founded during Qajar dynast ...
) and
Islamic Revolution Committees Islamic Revolution Committees or Committees of Islamic Revolution ( fa, کمیته‌های انقلاب اسلامی, Komitehāye Enqelābe Eslāmi), simply known as the Committee ( fa, کمیته, Komīte), was a law enforcement force in Iran act ...
in 1990. In 1991, the Iranian armed forces received a number of Iraqi military aircraft being evacuated from the Persian
Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
of that year; most of which were incorporated into the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force. From 2003, there have been repeated US and British allegations that Iranian forces have been covertly involved in the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. In 2004, Iranian armed forces took Royal Navy personnel prisoner, on the
Shatt al-Arab The Shatt al-Arab ( ar, شط العرب, lit=River of the Arabs; fa, اروندرود, Arvand Rud, lit=Swift River) is a river of some in length that is formed at the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in the town of al-Qurnah in ...
(Arvand Rud in Persian) river, between Iran and Iraq. They were released three days later following diplomatic discussions between the UK and Iran. In 2007, Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces also took prisoner
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
personnel when a boarding party from was seized in the waters between Iran and Iraq, in the Persian Gulf. They were released thirteen days later. According to
Juan Cole John Ricardo Irfan "Juan" Cole (born October 23, 1952) is an American academic and commentator on the modern Middle East and South Asia. Dead link; no archive located. He is Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University ...
, Iran has never launched an "aggressive war" in modern history, and its leadership adheres to a doctrine of "no first strike". The country's military budget is the lowest per capita in the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
region besides the
UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
. Since 1979, there have been no foreign military bases present in Iran. According to Article 146 of the
Iranian Constitution The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran ( fa, قانون اساسی جمهوری اسلامی ایران, ''Qanun-e Asasi-ye Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Iran'') was adopted by referendum on 2 and 3 December 1979, and went into force replac ...
, the establishment of any foreign military base in the country is forbidden, even for peaceful purposes. On 4 December 2011, an American
RQ-170 Sentinel The Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel is an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Lockheed Martin and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). While the USAF has released few detail ...
unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was captured by Iranian forces near the city of
Kashmar Kashmar () ( fa, کاشمر, also Romanized as ''Kāshmar''; formerly ''Keshmar'', '' Torshīz'' or ''Soltanabad'') is a city and the capital of Kashmar County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. Kashmar is located near the river Shesh Tara ...
in northeastern
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. In 2012, it was announced that Iran's
Quds Force The Quds Force ( fa, نیروی قدس, niru-ye qods, Jerusalem Force) is one of five branches of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) specializing in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations. U.S. Army's Iraq War ...
is operating inside Syria providing the government of Bashar al-Assad with intelligence and direction against rebel opposition. In December 2012, Iran stated it had captured an American
ScanEagle The Boeing Insitu ScanEagle is a small, long-endurance, low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) built by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, and is used for reconnaissance. The ScanEagle was designed by Insitu based on the Insitu SeaScan, a co ...
UAV that violated its airspace over the Persian Gulf. Iran later stated it had also captured two other ScanEagles. In November 2015, Iranian special forces assisted in the rescue of a Russian pilot that was shot down by Turkey, over Syria. In April 2016, Iran sent advisors from the
65th Airborne Special Forces Brigade 65th Airborne Special Forces Brigade ( fa, تیپ ۶۵ نیروهای ویژه هوابرد), or the ''NOHED'' Brigade (), is an airborne, special forces unit of the Iranian Army established in 1959. The unit's first operation was during the Dhof ...
to Syria in support of the government. In 2016, Revolutionary Guard forces captured US Navy personnel when their boats entered Iranian territorial waters off the coast of Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. They were released the next day following diplomatic discussions between the US and Iran. In March 2021 state TV in Iran showed footage of a “missile city” armed with ballistic and cruise weapons described as "a new Revolutionary Guard base" along the Gulf coast.


Commanders

* Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei ( fa, سید علی حسینی خامنه‌ای, ; born 19 April 1939) is a Twelver Shia ''marja and the second and current Supreme Leader of Iran, in office since 1989. He was previously the third president o ...
(Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic, in fa, فرمانده کل قوا, Fermānande-ye Kol-e Qavā) * Brigadier General
Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani ( fa, محمدرضا قرایی آشتیانی) is a member of the Iranian military with the rank of Brigadier General who has served as the minister of defence since 2021. Ashtiani was sworn in on August 25, 2021, r ...
() (Minister of Defence) * Brigadier General
Ahmad Vahidi Ahmad Vahidi ( fa, احمد وحیدی, born 27 June 1958) is an Iranian military commander of the Revolutionary Guards and current Minister of Interior since August 25, 2021. In addition, he is currently member of the Expediency Discernment Cou ...
() (Minister of Interior) * Major General Mohammad Bagheri () (Commander of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, in fa, رئیس ستاد کل نیروهای مسلح) * Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh () (Deputy commander of General Staff of the Armed Forces, in fa, جانشین رئیس ستاد کل نیروهای مسلح) * Major General
Yahya Rahim Safavi Yahya "Rahim" Safavi ( fa, یحیی (رحیم) صفوی, born 1952) is an Iranian military commander who served as the chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Early life Safavi was born in 1952 in the city of Isfahan, Iran. C ...
() (Senior Military Advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution) *
Islamic Republic of Iran Army , founded = , current_form = (Islamic Republic) , disbanded = , branches = , headquarters = Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran , website = , commander-in-chief = Maj. Gen. ...
** Major General
Abdolrahim Mousavi Sayyed Abdolrahim Mousavi ( fa, سید عبدالرحیم موسوی) is an Iranian military officer who is Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army since 21 August 2017. He was formerly deputy Chief of General Staff of Armed Forc ...
() (Commander-in-Chief of the Army, in fa, فرمانده کل ارتش) ** Brigadier General
Mohammad-Hossein Dadras Mohammad-Hossein Dadras ( fa, محمدحسین دادرس) is an Iranian regular military (''Artesh'') officer with the rank of brigadier who currently serves as the second-in-command. Career Dadras previously served as the commander of Islamic Re ...
() (Deputy Commander in Chief of the Army) ** Rear admiral
Habibollah Sayyari Habibollah Sayyari ( fa, حبیب‌الله سیاری, birth 1955) is the Coordinating Deputy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army and the former Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (the "Regular Navy"). He is a former Marine Comma ...
() (Chief of the Army Joint Headquarters) ** Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari () (Commander of the Army Ground Forces) ** Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi () (Commander of the Air Force) ** Brigadier General
Alireza Sabahifard Alireza Sabahifard ( fa, علیرضا صباحی‌فرد) is Iranian military officer who currently commands the Iran Air Defense Force of ''Artesh'', Iran's regular military. He was appointed to the office by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 29 May 2 ...
() (Commander of Air Defense Force) ** Rear admiral
Shahram Irani Shahram Irani ( fa, شهرام ایرانی) is an Iranian military officer of Kurdish ethnicity and the current Commander of the Iranian Navy The Commander of the Iranian Navy ( fa, فرمانده نیروی دریایی ارتش) is the high ...
() (Commander of the Navy) *
IRGC The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
** Major General
Hossein Salami abdullah eslami (1960) is an Iranian military officer with the rank of major general, who is the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Early years Salami was born in 1960 in Golpayegan, Isfahan province, Iran. In 1 ...
() (Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC, in fa, فرمانده کل سپاه پاسداران) ** Rear admiral
Ali Fadavi Ali Fadavi ( fa, علی فدوی) is an Iranian military officer who currently holds office as the second highest commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hierarchy. Early life and education He was born in 1961. Fadavi studied at Isf ...
() (Deputy Commander of the IRGC) ** Brigadier General
Mohammad Reza Naqdi Mohammad Reza Naqdi (also spelled "Naghdi"; fa, محمدرضا نقدی) is a senior officer in the Revolutionary Guards. Background According to the biography published by the semi-official Fars News Agency, Naqdi was born in March 1961 in a m ...
() (Chief of the IRGC Joint Headquarters) ** Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour () (Commander of IRGC Ground Force) ** Brigadier General
Amir Ali Hajizadeh Amir Ali Hajizadeh ( fa, امیرعلی حاجی‌زاده; born 28 February 1962 in Tehran) is commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps since October 2009. During Eghtedar-e Velayat war game, on 8 March 2016, Ha ...
() (Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force) ** Rear admiral
Alireza Tangsiri Commodore Alireza Tangsiri ( fa, علیرضا تنگسیری) is an Iranian military officer and the current commander of Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps appointed since 23 August 2018, replacing Ali Fadavi. U.S. sanctions On 24 J ...
() (Commander of IRGC Navy) ** Brigadier General
Esmail Qaani Esmail Qaani (also spelled as Ismail Qaani fa, اسماعیل قاآنی or ; born 8 August 1957) is an Iranian brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and commander of its Quds Force — a division primarily responsible for ex ...
(Commander of
Quds Force The Quds Force ( fa, نیروی قدس, niru-ye qods, Jerusalem Force) is one of five branches of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) specializing in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations. U.S. Army's Iraq War ...
) ** Brigadier General
Gholamreza Soleimani Gholamreza Soleimani ( fa, غلامرضا سلیمانی) is a senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who commands Basij forces. Despite the same surname, he is not related to Qassem Soleimani. On 12 April 2021, Soleimani was ...
() (Commander of the Basij Resistance Force) * Law Enforcement Force ** Brigadier General
Hossein Ashtari Hossein Ashtari ( fa, حسین اشتری) is an Iranian military officer who currently serves as Iran's Chief of police, the chief commander of General Command of the Law Enforcement of Islamic Republic of Iran, since 2015. Prior to the appointm ...
() (Commander-in-Chief of the General Command of the Law Enforcement, in fa, فرمانده کل انتظامی)


Structure

* Military Office of the Supreme Leader ** General Staff of the Armed Forces ***
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
(''Sepah'') ****
Ground Force ''Ground Force'' was a British garden makeover television series originally broadcast by the BBC between 1997 and 2005. The series was originally hosted by Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Walsh. Production The series was created b ...
**** Basij ****
Quds Force The Quds Force ( fa, نیروی قدس, niru-ye qods, Jerusalem Force) is one of five branches of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) specializing in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations. U.S. Army's Iraq War ...
**** Aerospace Force ****
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
***
Islamic Republic of Iran Army , founded = , current_form = (Islamic Republic) , disbanded = , branches = , headquarters = Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran , website = , commander-in-chief = Maj. Gen. ...
(''Artesh'') ****
Ground Force ''Ground Force'' was a British garden makeover television series originally broadcast by the BBC between 1997 and 2005. The series was originally hosted by Alan Titchmarsh, Charlie Dimmock and Tommy Walsh. Production The series was created b ...
****
Air Defense Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
****
Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
****
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
*** General Command of the Law Enforcement (Police) * The Iranian regular military, or
Islamic Republic of Iran Army , founded = , current_form = (Islamic Republic) , disbanded = , branches = , headquarters = Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran , website = , commander-in-chief = Maj. Gen. ...
, consists of the
Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces The Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces ( fa, نیروی زمینی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران, ''Niroo-ye Zamini-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Iran''), acronymed NEZAJA ( fa, نزاجا, NEZEJA) are the ground for ...
,
Islamic Republic of Iran Navy , ''Daryādelān''"Seahearts" , patron = , motto = fa, راه ما، راه حسین است, ''Rāh-e ma, rāh-e hoseyn ast''"''Our Path, Is Hussain's Path''" , colors = , ...
,"The Consequences of a Strike on Iran: The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy"
''Global Bearings,'' 15 December 2011.
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force , patron = , motto = , "Skyhigh is my place" , colours = Ultramarine blue , colours_label = , march = , mascot ...
, and the
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force "And You Did Not Throw When You Threw, But God Did Throw" , start_date = 1933–1954 (Part of Ground Force)1954–2008 (Part of Air Force)2008–Present (As Separate Force) , branch = , type = Air defence , command_structure=Artesh , country ...
. The regular armed forces have an estimated 398,000 personnel: the
Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces The Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces ( fa, نیروی زمینی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران, ''Niroo-ye Zamini-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Iran''), acronymed NEZAJA ( fa, نزاجا, NEZEJA) are the ground for ...
with 350,000, of which 220,000 are conscripts; the
Islamic Republic of Iran Navy , ''Daryādelān''"Seahearts" , patron = , motto = fa, راه ما، راه حسین است, ''Rāh-e ma, rāh-e hoseyn ast''"''Our Path, Is Hussain's Path''" , colors = , ...
with 18,000, and the
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force , patron = , motto = , "Skyhigh is my place" , colours = Ultramarine blue , colours_label = , march = , mascot ...
with 37,000 airmen. The
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force "And You Did Not Throw When You Threw, But God Did Throw" , start_date = 1933–1954 (Part of Ground Force)1954–2008 (Part of Air Force)2008–Present (As Separate Force) , branch = , type = Air defence , command_structure=Artesh , country ...
is a branch split off from the IRIAF and has 15,000 personnel. * The
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
, or Revolutionary Guards, has an estimated 190,000 personnel in five branches: Its own
Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
, Aerospace Force, and
Ground Forces An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
; and the
Quds Force The Quds Force ( fa, نیروی قدس, niru-ye qods, Jerusalem Force) is one of five branches of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) specializing in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations. U.S. Army's Iraq War ...
(
special forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
). ** The Basij is a paramilitary volunteer force controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Its membership is a matter of controversy. Iranian sources claim a membership of 12.6 million, including women, of which perhaps 600,000 are combat capable. There are a claimed 2,500 battalions of which some are composed of full-time personnel. GlobalSecurity.org quotes a 2005 study by the
Center for Strategic and International Studies The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is an American think tank based in Washington, D.C. CSIS was founded as the Center for Strategic and International Studies of Georgetown University in 1962. The center conducts polic ...
estimating 90,000 active-duty full-time uniformed members, 300,000 reservists, and a total of 11 million men that can be mobilized if need be.GlobalSecurity.org
. GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on 2014-06-09.


Cyberwarfare

It has been reported that Iran is one of the five countries that has a cyber-army capable of conducting cyber-warfare operations. It has also been reported that Iran has immensely increased its
cyberwarfare Cyberwarfare is the use of cyber attacks against an enemy state, causing comparable harm to actual warfare and/or disrupting vital computer systems. Some intended outcomes could be espionage, sabotage, propaganda, manipulation or economic war ...
capability since the post presidential election un-rest. Furthermore,
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
has accused the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
of having initiated a cyber war against Iran, through websites such as
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
and
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
and employing a hacker brigade for the purpose of fomenting unrest in Iran. It has also been reported in early 2010, that two new garrisons for cyberwarfare have been established at Zanjan and
Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...
.BBC فارسی - ايران - قرارگاه های 'جنگ نرم' در اصفهان و زنجان راه اندازی شد
. Bbc.co.uk (1970-01-01). Retrieved on 2014-06-09.


Nuclear program

Fifth major branch of IRGC Nuclear Command Corps and Nuclear Security and Protection Corps was incorporated publicly 16 March 2022.


Size


Budget

Iran's 2021 defense budget was estimated to be $25.0 billion by
IISS The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England. The 2017 Global Go To Think ...
.


Defense industry

Under the last
Shah of Iran This is a list of monarchs of Persia (or monarchs of the Iranic peoples, in present-day Iran), which are known by the royal title Shah or Shahanshah. This list starts from the establishment of the Medes around 671 BCE until the deposition of th ...
, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran's military industry was limited to assembly of foreign weapons. In the assembly lines that were put up by American firms, such as
Bell A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an inter ...
, Litton and Northrop, Iranian workers put together a variety of helicopters, aircraft, guided missiles, electronic components and tanks.Dar Al Hayat
. Dar Al Hayat. Retrieved on 2014-06-09.
In 1973, the
Iran Electronics Industries (IEI) ''Sânai'-ye Elâktrunik-e Iran'' , logo = SAIran.svg , logo_size = 200px , type = State-owned , foundation = , location_city = Tehran , location_country = Iran , area_served = Iran , industry ...
was established. The company was set up in a first attempt to organize the assembly and repair of foreign-delivered weapons.NTI: Country Overviews: Iran: Missile Chronology
The Iranian
Defense Industries Organization The Defense Industries Organization (DIO) is a Conglomerate (company), conglomerate of companies run by the Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran whose function is to provide the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Armed Forces with the necessar ...
was the first to succeed in taking a step into what could be called a military industry by reverse engineering
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...
RPG-7 The RPG-7 (russian: link=no, РПГ-7, Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт, Ruchnoy Protivotankoviy Granatomyot) is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank, rocket-propelled grenade launcher. ...
,
BM-21 The BM-21 "Grad" (russian: БМ-21 "Град", lit= hail) is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first comba ...
, and SAM-7 missiles in 1979. Nevertheless, most of Iran's weapons before the Islamic revolution were imported from the United States and Europe. Between 1971 and 1975, the
Shah Shah (; fa, شاه, , ) is a royal title that was historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies.Yarshater, EhsaPersia or Iran, Persian or Farsi, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII no. 1 (1989) It was also used by a variety of ...
went on a buying spree, ordering $8 billion in weapons from the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
alone. This alarmed the
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
, which strengthened a 1968 law on arms exports in 1976 and renamed it the Arms Export Control Act. Still, the United States continued to sell large amounts of weapons to Iran until the 1979 Islamic Revolution.. cdi.org. May 22, 1994 After the Islamic revolution, Iran found itself severely isolated and lacking technological expertise. Because of economic sanctions and a weapons embargo put on Iran by the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, it was forced to rely on its domestic arms industry for weapons and spare parts, since there were very few countries willing to do business with Iran.Procurement: November 3, 2004
. Strategypage.com (2004-11-03). Retrieved on 2014-06-09.
The
Islamic Revolutionary Guards The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
were put in charge of creating what is today known as the
Iranian military industry Iran's military industry manufactures and exports various types of arms and military equipment. Iran's military industry, under the command of Iran's Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics, is composed of the following main components: S ...
. Under their command, Iran's military industry was enormously expanded, and with the
Ministry of Defense {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in state ...
pouring investment into the missile industry, Iran soon accumulated a vast arsenal of missiles. Since 1992, it has also produced its own
tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...
s, armored personnel carriers,
radar system Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, ...
s,
guided missiles In military terminology, a missile is a guided airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight usually by a jet engine or rocket motor. Missiles are thus also called guided missiles or guided rockets (when a previously unguided rocket i ...
,
marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
, military vessels and
fighter planes Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
.Iran Launches Production of Stealth
. FOXNews.com (2005-05-10). Retrieved on 2014-06-09.
Iran is also producing its own submarines. In recent years, official announcements have highlighted the development of weapons such as the Fajr-3 (MIRV),
Hoot Hoot may refer to: Publications * ''Hoot'' (novel), a young adult novel by Carl Hiaasen * ''Hoot'', a 1996 children's novel by Jane Hissey * ''Hoot'' (comics), a British magazine published from 1985 to 1986 * ''The Brandeis Hoot'', a student n ...
, Kowsar,
Fateh-110 The Fateh-110 ( fa, فاتح-۱۱۰ "conqueror"), also known as NP-110 is an Iranian solid-fueled surface-to-surface ballistic missile produced by Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization since 2002. It is single-stage, road-mobile and can c ...
,
Shahab-3 The Shahab-3 ( fa, شهاب ۳, Šahâb 3; meaning "meteor-3") is a liquid-propelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the North Korean Nodong-1. The Shahab-3 has a range of ; a MRBM variant can now reach (ca ...
missile systems and a variety of
unmanned aerial vehicles An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...
, at least one of which
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
claims has been used to spy on its territory.
British Broadcasting Corporation #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

Hezbollah drone flies over Israel
, 7 December 2004
In 2006, an Iranian UAV acquired and allegedly tracked the American aircraft carrier for 25 minutes without being detected, before returning safely to its base. On November 2, 2012, Iran's Brigadier General Hassan Seifi reported that the Iranian Army had achieved self-suffiency in producing military equipment, and that the abilities of Iranian scientists have enabled the country to make significant progress in this field. He was quoted saying, "Unlike Western countries which hide their new weapons and munitions from all, the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army is not afraid of displaying its latest military achievements and all countries must become aware of Iran's progress in producing weaponry."
- Armyrecognition.com, November 5, 2012


UAV program

Iran has produced several unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which can be used for reconnaissance and combat operations. Iran has also claimed to have downed, captured and later reverse-engineered US and Israeli drones. Iranian drones have seen extensive combat during the Syrian Civil War as well as by the
Houthi movement The Houthi movement (; ar, ٱلْحُوثِيُّون ''al-Ḥūthīyūn'' ), officially called Ansar Allah (' ''Partisans of God'' or ''Supporters of God'') and colloquially simply Houthis, is an Islamist political and armed movement that ...
during the
Yemeni Civil War Yemeni Civil War may refer to several historical events which have taken place in Yemen: *Alwaziri coup, February – March 1948 *Yemeni–Adenese clan violence, 1956–60 *North Yemen Civil War, 1962–70 *Aden Emergency, 1963–67 *South Yemen#Di ...
, mostly against Saudi targets. Some time after the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the U.S reported that Iran was supplying Russia with military drones.


Ballistic missile program

On November 2, 2006, Iran fired unarmed missiles to begin 10 days of
military simulation Military simulations, also known informally as war games, are simulations in which theories of warfare can be tested and refined without the need for actual hostilities. Military simulations are seen as a useful way to develop tactical, strateg ...
s. Iranian state television reported "dozens of missiles were fired including
Shahab-2 The Shahab-2 ( fa, شهاب ۲, Ŝahāb 2, meaning "Meteor-2") is the successor to the Iranian Shahab-1 missile. It is based on the North Korean Hwasong-6 (modified version of the Hwasong-5, itself a modification of the R-17 Elbrus). On Novemb ...
and
Shahab-3 The Shahab-3 ( fa, شهاب ۳, Šahâb 3; meaning "meteor-3") is a liquid-propelled medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) developed by Iran and based on the North Korean Nodong-1. The Shahab-3 has a range of ; a MRBM variant can now reach (ca ...
missiles. The missiles had ranges from 300 km to up to 2,000 km. Iranian experts have made some changes to Shahab-3 missiles installing cluster
warhead A warhead is the forward section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic (biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a missile, rocket, torpedo, or bomb. Classification Types of warheads include: * Explosiv ...
s in them with the capacity to carry 1,400 bombs." These launches came after some
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
-led military exercises in the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
on October 30, 2006, meant to train for blocking the transport of
weapons of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to numerous individuals or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natura ...
. Iran is also believed to have started the development of an ICBM/IRBM missile project, known as Ghadr-110 with a range of 3000 km; the program is believed to be a parallel of the advancement of a satellite launcher named
IRIS Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term Iris or IRIS may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional ent ...
. Iran also dedicated underground ballistic missile programs


Weapons of mass destruction

Iran started a major campaign to produce and stockpile chemical weapons after a truce was agreed with Iraq after 1980-88
Iran–Iraq War The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. It began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for almost eight years, until the acceptance of United Nations Security Council ...
. However, Iran ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997. Iranian troops and civilians suffered tens of thousands of casualties from Iraqi
chemical weapon A chemical weapon (CW) is a specialized munition that uses chemicals formulated to inflict death or harm on humans. According to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), this can be any chemical compound intended as a ...
s during the 1980-88 Iran–Iraq War. Even today, more than twenty-four years after the end of the Iran–Iraq War, about 30,000 Iranians are still suffering and dying from the effects of chemical weapons employed by Iraq during the war. The need to manage the treatment of such a large number of casualties has placed Iran's medical specialists in the forefront of the development of effective treatment regimens for chemical weapons victims, and particularly for those suffering from exposure to mustard gas.. Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. opcw.org Iran ratified the
Biological Weapons Convention The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), or Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), is a disarmament treaty that effectively bans biological and toxin weapons by prohibiting their development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpil ...
in 1973.Signatories of the Biological Weapons Convention
. Opbw.org. Retrieved on 2014-06-09.
Iran has advanced biological and
genetic engineering Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including t ...
research programs supporting an industry that produces
vaccine A vaccine is a biological Dosage form, preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease, infectious or cancer, malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verifie ...
s for both domestic use and export.


Military aid

In 2013, Iran was reported to supply money, equipment, technological expertise and
unmanned aerial vehicles An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controller ...
(drones) to the Syrian government and Hezbollah during the Syrian civil war, and to the Iraqi government and its state-sponsored organizations the
Popular Mobilization Forces The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) ( ar, الحشد الشعبي ''al-Ḥashd ash-Shaʿbī''), also known as the People's Mobilization Committee (PMC) and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization ...
, and
Peshmerga The Peshmerga ( ku, پێشمەرگه, Pêşmerge, lit=those who face death) is the Kurdish military forces of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. According to the Constitution of Iraq, the Peshmerga, along with their security subsidiaries, ...
during War on ISIL.


See also

*
List of Iranian two-star generals since 1979 There are currently 12 two-star officers in the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran: four with the regular army (''Artesh'') background, seven who served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and one with both backgrounds. Although t ...
*
List of military equipment manufactured in Iran In recent years, the Iranian government states that it has self-sufficiency in essential military hardware and defense systems. Tehran established an arms development program during the Iran–Iraq War to counter the weapons embargo imposed on ...
*
Equipment of the Iranian Army This page includes weapons used by both the Ground Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army and the Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. From 1925 to the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iran was primarily equipped with Weste ...
*
Current Iranian Navy vessels This list reflects the state of the mainline Iranian Navy, and does not include the vessels of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. List See also * List of equipment of the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps * List of f ...
*
List of Iranian Air Force aircraft This is a list of aircraft types operated by the Iranian Air Force, not including those operated by the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This list also includes those operated by the air arm of the Iranian Army prior to ...


Notes


References


Further reading

* * Alain Rodier, , French Centre for Research on Intelligence, January 2007 - Order of Battle, strategy, asymmetric warfare, intelligence services, state terrorism. Includes detailed order of battle for both regular army and Revolutionary Guard * Anthony H. Cordesman, Iran's Military Forces in Transition: Conventional Threats and Weapons of Mass Destruction,
Centre for Strategic and International Studies The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a non-profit organization based in Indonesia which has served as a think tank on social, international, political and economical issues. CSIS was founded on Sept 1, 1971 by a group of ...
, * 'Iranian exercise reveals flaws in air defences,'
Jane's Defence Weekly ''Jane's Defence Weekly'' (abbreviated as ''JDW'') is a weekly magazine reporting on military and corporate affairs, edited by Peter Felstead. It is one of a number of military-related publications named after John F. T. Jane, an Englishman who ...
, 9 December 2009 * Kaveh Farrokh, Iran at War: 1500–1988, Osprey Hardcover, released May 24, 2011; . {{DEFAULTSORT:Military Of Iran Military of Iran Organisations under the direct control of the Supreme Leader of Iran