Islamic Republic of Iran Army

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Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces
نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران
Logo of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
Service branches
HeadquartersEshrat Abad, Tehran, Iran
Leadership
Commander-in-chief Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics BG Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
Chief of the General Staff MG Mohammad Bagheri
Minister of Interior BG Ahmad Vahidi
Personnel
Military age18
ConscriptionYes
Active personnel587,000[1] (ranked 9th)
Reserve personnel200,000[1]
Expenditure
BudgetUS$5.8 billion (2024)[2]
Percent of GDP2.0% (2024)[2]
Industry
Domestic suppliers
Annual exports
 Serbia
 Lebanon
 Belarus
 Yemen


+ US$2 billion(2023)
Related articles
History


RanksRank insignia of the Iranian military

The Iranian Armed Forces,[a] officially the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces,[b] are the combined military forces of Iran, comprising the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah) and the Law Enforcement Force (Faraja).

Iranian Armed Forces are the largest in the Middle East in terms of active troops.[5] Iran's military forces are made up of approximately 587,000 active-duty personnel plus 200,000 reserve and trained personnel that can be mobilized when needed, bringing the country's military manpower to about 787,000 total personnel.[1] These numbers do not include Law Enforcement Command or Basij.

Most of Iran's imported weapons consist of American systems purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with limited purchases from Russia in the 1990s following the Iran–Iraq War.[6][7] However, the country has since then launched a robust domestic rearmament program,[8] 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.[9] 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,[10] and has manufactured different types of arms and munitions, including tanks, armoured vehicles and drones, as well as various naval assets and aerial defense systems.[11][12][13][14]

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.[15][16]

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 exports to countries hostile to the U.S.[17] According to U.S. Central Command 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.[18]

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 is responsible for planning logistics 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.

Islamic Republic of Iran Army
ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران
ƏRTĒŠ-Ē ŽOMHURIY-Ē ĒSLÂMI-Ē IRÂN
Seal of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army
Flags of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army
Motto
  • Arabic: وَإِنَّ جُنْدنَا لَهُمْ الْغَالِبُونَ "And Our Soldiers, They Verily Would Be the Victors." [Quran 37:173] (Heraldry slogan)
  • Persian: ارتش فدای ملت "Army Sacrificed for the Nation" (unofficial)[22]
  • Persian: خدا، شاه، ميهن "God, Shah, Motherland" (pre-1979)[23]
Founded
Current form1979; 45 years ago (1979) (Islamic Republic)
Service branches
HeadquartersKhatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran
Websiteaja.ir
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefMaj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi
Deputy Commander-in-ChiefBrig. Gen. Mohammad-Hossein Dadras
Personnel
Military age18[24]
Conscription21 months
Active personnel377,000[25]
  • 310,000 (Ground Force)
  • 30,000 (Air Force)
  • 20,000 (Navy)
  • 17,000 (Air Defense)
Expenditure
Budget$1.84 billion (2024)[26]
Related articles
History
RanksRank insignia of the Iranian military

The Islamic Republic of Iran Army[27] (Persian: ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران), acronymed AJA (Persian: آجا), simply known as the Iranian Army or the Artesh (Persian: ارتش, romanized: Arteš,(Ərtēš)), is the conventional military of Iran and part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces.[28] It is tasked to protect the territorial integrity of the country from external and internal threats and to project power.[28]

The Artesh has its own Joint Staff[29] which coordinates its four separate service branches: the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force.[28]

History[edit]

Main articles: Military history of Iran, Naval history of Iran, and Air force history of Iran
See also: List of wars involving Iran

Classical antiquity[edit]

Main articles: Military of the Sasanian Empire and Seleucid army

Early modern[edit]

Main articles: Military of Safavid Iran and Military of Afsharid Iran

Missions and deployments[edit]

Iranian peacekeeping missions battalion in a 2012 parade
Ground Force soldiers carrying off medical supplies for 2003 Bam earthquake

The Iranian army has fought against two major invasions in contemporary times. The 1941 invasion by the Allies of World War II resulted in a decisive loss for the Iranian forces, the deposition of Iran's Shah and five years of subsequent occupation,[21] while the 1980 Iraqi invasion began the Iran–Iraq War, which lasted almost eight years and ended in status quo ante bellum. The army has also been actively engaged in quelling tribal and separatist rebellions beginning in the 1940s in order to protect Iran's territorial integrity.[21]

Extraterritorial operations[edit]

From 1972 to 1976, Iranian troops were sent to Oman to fight with the Royal Army of Oman against the Dhofar Rebellion.[21] In 1976, a contingent was sent to Pakistan to assist the Pakistan Army against the Insurgency in Balochistan.[21] Iranian personnel were also reportedly present in the Vietnam War.[30]

In 2016, members of the special forces of Iran were deployed to fight in the Syrian civil war.[30]

International peacekeeping missions[edit]

Main article: Iranian peacekeeping missions

The Iranian Army participated in UN peacekeeping missions in the 1970s, sending a battalion to replace Peruvian forces in the Golan Heights as part of the Disengagement Observer Force. After the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the bulk of the forces were part of the Interim Force in Lebanon until late 1978. Replaced by Finnish forces, Iranian peacekeepers were withdrawn in 1979 following the Islamic revolution.[31][32]

In 1993, the Iranian Army reestablished its professional peacekeeping units and declared that they are ready to be dispatched at the UN's directive.[33] Since then, Iran has deployed forces in Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2003 and the African Union Mission in Darfur in 2012.[citation needed]

The Iranian Army's maritime branch has launched several missions to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia,[34] securing the release of many other countries' sailors.[35]

Aid missions[edit]

The Iranian Army has deployed forces to help the Red Lion and Sun and Red Crescent societies in rescue and relief missions after domestic natural disasters, including clearing roads, reestablishing communications, supplying goods, airlifting equipment, transporting casualties and personnel and setting up field hospitals and post-hospital care centres.[36][37]

Future missions[edit]

In 2021, the Iranian Army had announced that it will launch a satellite into space.[38]

Anniversary[edit]

Main article: Islamic Republic of Iran Army Day

Equipment[edit]

Main articles: Equipment of the Iranian Army, List of aircraft of the Iranian Air Force, List of equipment of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force, and List of current ships of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
See also: List of former Iranian naval vessels and Historical equipment of the Iranian Army

Commanders[edit]

Main articles: List of chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Iran and List of commanders of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army

Military academies[edit]

Main articles: AJA University of Command and Staff, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Imam Ali Officers' Academy, Shahid Sattari Aeronautical University, Khatam al-Anbia Air Defense Academy, and Imam Khomeini Naval University of Noshahr

Symbols and uniforms[edit]

Branch Insignia Flag Uniform colors and patterns
Service Combat Specialized
Ground Force
Air Defence Force
Air Force
Navy

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c International Institute for Strategic Studies (15 February 2023). The Military Balance 2023. London: Routledge. pp. 324–328. ISBN 9781032508955.
  2. ^ a b Tian, Nan; Fleurant, Aude; Kuimova, Alexandra; Wezeman, Pieter D.; Wezeman, Siemon T. (24 April 2022). "Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2021" (PDF). Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Archived from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Iran Military Power: Ensuring Regime Survival and Securing Regional Dominance (PDF), Defense Intelligence Agency, August 2019, p. 90, ISBN 978-0-16-095157-2, DIA-Q-00055-A
  4. ^ "Iran inaugurates new drone production line in Tajikistan", The Washington Post, Associated Press, 17 May 2022
  5. ^ "2021 Military Strength Ranking".
  6. ^ "The Iranian Army: Tasks and Capabilities".
  7. ^ Larson, Caleb (1 April 2020). "How Iran Got Russia's Deadly MiG-29 Fighter". The National Interest. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Analysis of Defence Sector in Iran (2018 - 2023) | Size | Share". www.mordorintelligence.com. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  9. ^ "How Iran's Revived Weapons Exports Could Boost Its Proxies". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Pentagon says Iran's missiles unrivaled in Middle East". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Iran Develops Air Defense Capability for Possible Regional Role". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  12. ^ Sutton, H. I. "Iranian Navy Building New Submarines And A 6,000-Ton Destroyer". Forbes. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  13. ^ Beckhusen, Robert (7 September 2019). "How Does Iran's Karrar Tank Compare to The Best of the Best?". The National Interest. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  14. ^ "How to Combat the Iranian Drone Threat". The Defense Post. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Iran's missile programme is non-negotiable, says Rouhani". Reuters. 14 December 2020. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  16. ^ Sharafedin, Bozorgmehr (30 March 2016). "Khamenei says missiles, not just talks, key to Iran's future". Reuters. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  17. ^ "SFRC Approves Stop Iranian Drones Act | United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations". www.foreign.senate.gov. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  18. ^ "Iran's Game of Drones". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  19. ^ Shahbazi, A. Sh. (12 August 2011) [December 15, 1986]. "ARMY i. Pre-Islamic Iran". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica. 5. Vol. II. New York: Bibliotheca Persica Press. pp. 489–499. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  20. ^ Cronin, Stephanie (2012), The Making of Modern Iran: State and Society under Riza Shah, 1921-1941, Routledge, pp. 37–38, ISBN 978-1136026942
  21. ^ a b c d e Sheikh-ol-Islami, M. J. (12 August 2011) [December 15, 1986]. "ARMY v. Pahlavi Period". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica. 5. Vol. II. New York City: Bibliotheca Persica Press. pp. 508–514. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  22. ^ "Army Sacrificed for the Nation", Hamshahri (in Persian), 16 April 2008, 48998, retrieved 1 June 2017
  23. ^ Ward, Steven R. (2014), Immortal, Updated Edition: A Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces, Georgetown University Press, p. 209, ISBN 9781626160651
  24. ^ "How I learned to stop worrying and love the Iranian army", Tehran Bureau, The Guardian, 23 July 2015, retrieved 25 October 2017
  25. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  26. ^ Rome, Henry (17 June 2020), "Iran's Defense Spending", The Iran Primer, The United States Institute for Peace
  27. ^ Army in the Passage of History: Annals, Revolution, the Holy Defense (in Persian). University of Command and Staff. 2012 [1391]. p. 48. ISBN 978-964-2523-38-2.
  28. ^ a b c Simon, Rita J.; Abdel-Moneim, Mohamed Alaa (2011), A Handbook of Military Conscription and Composition the World Over, Lexington Books, pp. 152–153, ISBN 978-0739167526
  29. ^ Hossein Aryan (15 November 2011), The Artesh: Iran's Marginalized and Under-Armed Conventional Military, Middle East Institute, retrieved 15 December 2015
  30. ^ a b Qaidaari, Abbas (28 April 2016). "Who sent Iranian Green Berets to Syria?". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 2 May 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  31. ^ Mays, Terry M. (2010), Historical Dictionary of Multinational Peacekeeping, Historical Dictionaries of International Organizations, vol. 29, Scarecrow Press, p. 279, ISBN 978-0810875166
  32. ^ Iran: Country Study Guide, World Country Study Guide Library, vol. 78, Int'l Business Publications, 2005, p. 141, ISBN 0739714767
  33. ^ "Iranian Peacekeepers Ready to Serve UN Missions, Anytime, Anywhere—Army Colonel". United Nations Information Centre - Tehran. 26 May 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  34. ^ Wilkin, Sam (8 April 2015). Pomeroy, Robin (ed.). "Iran deploys warships off Yemen's coast". Reuters. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  35. ^ Wilkin, Sam (7 January 2012). Pomeroy, Robin (ed.). "US navy frees Iranians held by pirates". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  36. ^ Razani, Reza (1973), The Engineering Aspects of the Qir Earthquake of 10 April 1972 in Southern Iran: A Report to the National Science Foundation, National Academies, p. 141
  37. ^ Abolghasemi, Hassan; Poorheidari, Gholamreza; Mehrabi, Ali; Foroutan, Ghasem (October 2005), "Iranian military forces in the Bam earthquake", Military Medicine, 170 (10): 859–861, doi:10.7205/MILMED.170.10.859, PMID 16435759
  38. ^ "ورود ارتش ایران به باشگاه سازندگان ماهواره". Khabar Fori. 31 December 2021.

External links[edit]

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