Islamic Republic of Iran Army

The Islamic Republic of Iran Army, commonly known as Artesh, is the conventional military force of Iran and one of Iran's two military forces, the other being the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It is tasked to protect the territorial integrity of the country from external and internal threats and to project power. It consists of four service branches: the Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy and Air Defense Force.

Both the Artesh and the IRGC provide essential security functions for Iran and coordinate regularly. But fierce rivalry exists, resulting from their uneven access to resources, varying levels of influence with the regime, and inherent overlap in missions and responsibilities.