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Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces

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Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces
نیروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ایران
Logo of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
Flag of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
Current form1979
Service branches
HeadquartersEshrat Abad, Tehran, Iran
Leadership
Commander-in-chief Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei
Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics Majid Ebn-e-Reza
Minister of Interior BG Eskandar Momeni
Chief of the General Staff Vacant
Personnel
Military age18
ConscriptionYes
Active personnel570,000 (IISS unchanged since 2023)[1]
Reserve personnel350,000 (IISS unchanged since 2023)[1]
Expenditure
BudgetUS$24.6 billion (2021)[2]
Percent of GDP2.8% (2021)[2]
Industry
Domestic suppliers
Related articles
History
RanksRank insignia of the Iranian military

The Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces,[a] also known as the Iranian Armed Forces,[b] include the regular armed forces (Artesh), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah) and the Police Command (Faraja).

The International Institute for Strategic Studies has estimated since 2023 at least that the regular armed forces, the Artesh, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are made up of approximately 570,000 active-duty personnel plus 350,000 reserve and trained personnel that can be mobilized when needed, bringing the country's military manpower to about 920,000 total personnel.[1] These numbers do not include the Police Command or Basij.

The IRGC was established as a separated and parallel military force after the Iranian Revolution of 1979.[3] It was established by a decree of May 1979.[3] The IRGC is tasked with safeguarding the ideological foundations of the Islamic Republic and defending the regime against internal and external threats. It operates its own ground, naval, and air units, as well as the elite Quds Force, which is responsible for extraterritorial operations. The IRGC functions independently of the Artesh and often holds significant influence in strategic, security, and economic affairs within the country.[4]

Both the Armed Forces and the IRGC provide essential security functions for Iran and coordinate regularly. But some rivalry remains, resulting from their uneven access to resources, varying levels of influence with the regime, and inherent overlap in missions and responsibilities.[5] This setup has been criticized for its lack of transparency, limited parliamentary oversight, and its questionable contribution to national defense.[citation needed]

Most of Iran's weapons consists of equipment from its robust domestic rearmament program,[6] which the country launched and its inventory has become increasingly indigenous.[7] Most of the country's military hardware is domestically manufactured, and Iran had become an exporter of arms by the 2000s.[8] 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 mid-range strike capability,[9] 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.[10][11][12][13]

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 is used only for surgical strikes. It is therefore not relevant to any nuclear negotiations with the P5+1.[14][15] The Iranian drone program has also raised concerns in 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.[16]

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.[17][18]

History

[edit]
Main article: Military history of Iran

Iran started a major campaign to produce and stockpile chemical weapons after a truce was agreed with Iraq after 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War.[19] However, Iran ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997. Iranian troops and civilians suffered tens of thousands of casualties from Iraqi chemical weapons during the 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War.

Since 2003, there have been repeated US and British allegations that Iranian forces were covertly involved in the Iraq War. In 2004, Iranian armed forces seized Royal Navy personnel, on the Shatt al-Arab (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 personnel prisoner when a boarding party from HMS Cornwall was seized in the waters between Iran and Iraq, in the Persian Gulf. They were released thirteen days later.

Since 1979, there have been no foreign military bases present in Iran. According to Article 146 of the Iranian Constitution, the establishment of any foreign military base in the country is forbidden, even for peaceful purposes.[20]

On 4 December 2011, an American Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was captured by Iranian forces near the city of Kashmar in northeastern Iran.

In 2012, it was announced that Iran's Quds Force is operating inside Syria providing the government of Bashar al-Assad with intelligence and direction against rebel opposition.[21]

In December 2012, Iran stated it had captured an U.S. Boeing Insitu ScanEagle UAV that violated its airspace over the Persian Gulf. Iran later stated it had also captured two other ScanEagles.

In 2013, Iran was reported to be supplying money, equipment, technological expertise and Uninhibited aerial vehicles to the former Ba'athist Syrian government and Hezbollah during the Syrian civil war, as well as to the Iraqi government and its state-sponsored organizations like the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the Peshmerga during the War on ISIL.[22]

In November 2015, Iranian special forces assisted in the rescue of a Russian pilot that was shot down by Turkey, over Syria.[23]

In April 2016, Iran sent advisors from the 65th Airborne Special Forces Brigade to Syria in support of the government.[24]

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.[25]

In March 2023, Iran began the process of allowing women to enlist in the military for the first time since the White Revolution.[26]

After the beginning of the 2026 Iran war, Iran fired large numbers of missiles in response to the Israeli and U.S. air campaigns.

Structure

[edit]
A 2019 joint morning call of Iranian Armed Forces
A formation flight of Iranian Grumman F-14 Tomcats, in 2008

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran manages both the IRGC and the Armed Forces on behalf of the Supreme Leader.[27] The Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters runs both forces' operations. Ebrahim Zolfaghari serves as the Khatam-al Anbiya Headquarters spokesman.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or Revolutionary Guards, has an estimated 190,000 personnel in four branches. It has Ground Forces; a Navy; an Aerospace Force, and an unconventional force, the Quds Force.[27] The Basij is a paramilitary reserve force controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Its numerical size is not agreed among authoritative sources. Since at least 2023 the IISS has said that the Basij has a claimed membership of 12.6 million, including women, of which perhaps 600,000 are combat capable.[28] In 2019 the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency estimated its active personnel at over 400,000.[27]

The Iranian regular military, the "Artesh," consists of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ground Forces, the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force.[29] In early 2026 the regular armed forces were estimated to have 420,000 personnel. The Islamic Republic of Iran Ground Forces had 350,000, of which 220,000 were conscripts; the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy had 18,000, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force had 37,000 personnel; and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force had 15,000 personnel.[1] These figures have remained unchanged since at least 2023 and may now be unreliable, especially due to the 2026 Iran war.

IRGC ballistic missile program

[edit]
Unveiling of Haj Qassem missile, August 2020.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force operates Iran's surface-to-surface missile forces.

Iran has started the development of an ICBM/IRBM missile project, known as Ghadr-110 with a range of 3000 km. Iran has also built large numbers of underground ballistic missile bases and silos. Older generation platforms, like the Shahab family, are slowly being phased out of service and replaced by newer generation ballistic missiles that emphasise accuracy and manoeuvrability over longer range, such as the Fateh and Sejjil families. In 2022, the former commander of U.S. Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, said that Iran's missile forces, by far the largest and most diverse in the Middle East, had achieved "effective overmatch" against their neighbours in the region.[30]

Budget

[edit]
Main article: Military budget of Iran

Iran's 2025 defense budget was estimated to be US $6.09 billion by International Institute for Strategic Studies, converted via the NIMA (an acronym for the Persian phrase "Integrated Forex Deals System") exchange rate.[31]

Iranian 21st century military spending in $ billion, constant prices of 2019 (via SIPRI Military Expenditure Database)

Defense industry

[edit]
Main articles: Defense industry of Iran and List of military equipment manufactured in Iran
Fateh-110 is a solid-fuel, guided ballistic missile.
The Shahed 129 drone is widely considered to be one of the most capable Iranian drones in service

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards were put in charge of creating what is today known as the Iranian military industry. Under their command, Iran's military industry was enormously expanded, and with the Ministry of Defense pouring investment into the missile industry, Iran soon accumulated a vast arsenal of missiles.[32] Since 1992, it has also produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, radar systems, guided missiles, marines, military vessels and fighter planes.[33] Iran is also producing its own submarines.[34]

In recent years, official announcements have highlighted the development of weapons such as the Fajr-3 (MIRV), Hoot, Kowsar, Fateh-110, Shahab-3 missile systems and a variety of unmanned aerial vehicles, at least one of which Israel claims has been used to spy on its territory.[35]

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."[36]

In 2019 the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency wrote that Iran exported military equipment to Russia; Iraq; China; Sudan; Ethiopia; Afghanistan; North Korea; Cuba; Nicaragua; Armenia; Venezuela, and Pakistan.[37] In 2022 the Washington Post wrote that Iran had begun a new drone assembly production line in Tajikistan.[38] Other reported Iranian export customers include Lebanon; Belarus; and Yemen.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Persian: نيروهای مسلح جمهوری اسلامی ايران, romanized: Niruhâ-ye Mosallah-e Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Irân pronounced [niːɾuːˈhɒːje mosælˈlæhe d͡ʒʊmhuːˈɾiːje eslɒːˈmiːje iːˈɾɒːn]
  2. ^ Persian: نيروهای مسلح ايران, romanized: Niruhâ-ye Mosallah-e Irân

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d IISS 2026, p. 348.
  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 Ward 2014, p. 226.
  4. ^ "Encyclopaedia Britannica: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps".
  5. ^ DIA 2019, p. 5.
  6. ^ "What is Iran likely to hit back with after Israel's strikes?". euronews. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Analysis of Defence Sector in Iran (2018–2023) | Size | Share". Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  8. ^ "How Iran's Revived Weapons Exports Could Boost Its Proxies". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Pentagon says Iran's missiles unrivaled in Middle East". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Iran Develops Air Defense Capability for Possible Regional Role". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  11. ^ Sutton, H. I. "Iranian Navy Building New Submarines And A 6,000-Ton Destroyer". Forbes. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "How to Combat the Iranian Drone Threat". The Defense Post. 1 September 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ Sharafedin, Bozorgmehr (30 March 2016). "Khamenei says missiles, not just talks, key to Iran's future". Reuters. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  16. ^ "SFRC Approves Stop Iranian Drones Act | United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations". www.foreign.senate.gov. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Institute for the Study of War". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  18. ^ Carl, Nicholas. "Explainer: The Iranian Armed Forces".
  19. ^ Michael R. Gordon; Stephen Engelberg (27 June 1989). "A GERMAN CONCERN SOLD CHEMICALS TO IRAN, U.S. SAYS". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Russian Military Alliance With Iran Improbable Due To Diverging Interests". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. RFE/RL. Archived from the original on 18 September 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
  21. ^ Spillius, Alex (9 February 2012). "Syria: Iran's elite Quds force 'advising Assad regime'". Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  22. ^ Warrick, Joby (2 June 2013). "National Security". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 August 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  23. ^ Webb, Sam (26 November 2015). "Pilot of Russian jet downed by Turkey was 'rescued by elite Iranian squad'". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  24. ^ "Iran sends special forces to Syria as 'advisors': report". i24news. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016.
  25. ^ "Iran reveals underground 'missile city' as regional tensions rise". CNBC. 16 March 2021.
  26. ^ "تصاویری متفاوت از زنان ارتشِ ایران". Bartarinha. 1 March 2023.
  27. ^ a b c DIA 2019, p. 25.
  28. ^ IISS 2026, p. 352.
  29. ^ DIA 2019, p. 25-26.
  30. ^ "The Effects of Iran Drone & Missile Strikes". Tablet Magazine. 2 November 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  31. ^ IISS 2026, p. 347.
  32. ^ Dar Al Hayat. Dar Al Hayat. Retrieved 2014-06-09.
  33. ^ Iran Launches Production of Stealth Archived 2011-02-08 at the Wayback Machine. FOXNews.com (2005-05-10). Retrieved 2014-06-09.
  34. ^ "Iran set to unveil new submarine class". UPI. 19 July 2010.
  35. ^ British Broadcasting Corporation, Hezbollah drone flies over Israel, 7 December 2004
  36. ^ Iran reports that Iran's Army has achieved self-suffiency in producing military equipment Archived November 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine – Armyrecognition.com, November 5, 2012
  37. ^ DIA 2019, p. 90.
  38. ^ "Iran inaugurates new drone production line in Tajikistan", The Washington Post, Associated Press, 17 May 2022

Further reading

[edit]
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