Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces
Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces | |
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نیروی زمینی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران | |
Kurdish Civil War | |
Commanders | |
Commander | Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari |
Insignia | |
Flag |
The Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces (
In Iran, it is also called Artesh, (ارتش) which is
Iran has two parallel land forces with some integration at the command level: the regular Artesh (Army), and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also known as the Sepâh (IRGC).
History
Antiquity
A national army of sorts has existed in Iran since the establishment of the
Qajar era
The Qajar period saw several attempts to re-model the traditional Iranian military based on western models. These were met with limited success at the time.
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"In 1918 the Qajar armed forces consisted of four, separate, foreign-commanded military units. Several provincial and tribal forces could also be called on during an emergency, but their reliability was highly questionable. More often than not, provincial and tribal forces opposed the government's centralisation efforts, particularly because Tehran was perceived to be under the dictate of foreign powers. Having foreign officers in commanding positions over Iranian troops added to these tribal and religious concerns."
"Loyal, disciplined, and well trained, the most effective government unit was the 8,000-man
After the First World War, the army had shrunk, but not much on paper, ostentiably numbering 25,000 in total. By 1920 it consisted of the Persian Cossacks; the Gendarmerie, expanded from two regiments that had stayed loyal; and the South Persia Rifles and the regular army, reduced to the Central Brigade in Tehran, with a theoretical strength of 2,200.[7]
Pahlavi era
Following the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1925, the new, Imperial Iranian Army became a priority. By 1941, it stood at 125,000 troops—five times its original size—and was considered well trained and well equipped. However, the army was focused on internal security operations, rather than, Farrokh says 'fighting well-led and equipped Soviet and Western armies.'[8] Ward writes that the 'army's sixteen divisions were spread across the country in their home garrisons, and only some of the western divisions had received any significant reinforcements of infantry and artillery. Maj. Gen. Hassan Mogaddam, the 5th Division commander, was put in charge of all western forces."[9] The defence of the Khorramshahr-Ahvaz area was put under the navy's Rear Admiral Gholamali Bayandor, with his sailors plus a brigade of the army's 6th Division.[10]
In August 1941 the Soviets and British launched the
Against the Allied forces, the army was overwhelmed in three days, while the fledgling
The small but more confident army that resulted from American training was capable enough to participate in the 1946 campaign in Azarbaijan to put down a Soviet-inspired, separatist rebellion. During the three years of occupation, Stalin had expanded Soviet political influence in Azerbaijan and the Kurdish area in northwestern Iran. On 12 December 1945, after weeks of violent clashes, a Soviet-backed separatist
Unlike its 1925 counterpart, the 1946 Majlis was suspicious of the shah's plans for a strong army.[6] Many members of the parliament feared that the army would once again be used as a source of political power. To curtail the shah's potential domination of the country, they limited his military budgets.
From the 1966-67 edition to the 1969-70 edition, the
Dramatic reforms brought in a host of western advisors and over the course of more than three decades the army was to become the world's fifth strongest by 1979. Throughout the 1970s the Imperial Iranian Ground Forces, as they were then known, underwent a rapid transformation and increase in strength. During this period, Iran established the "
In the early 1970s the
The Library of Congress Country Studies volume for Iran issued in 1978 wrote that:[14]
"During the 1970s ..the Imperial Iranian Ground Forces was undergoing a rapid increase in strength; that year [sic] it was a largely mechanized and armoured force of about 220,000. In late 1977 its former organization into three army corps, with headquarters in Kermanshah, Tehran, and Shiraz, was dropped; divisional commanders subsequently reported directly to the army commander. The army contained three armoured divisions, each with six tank battalions and five mechanised infantry battalions; four infantry divisions; four independent brigades (two infantry, one airborne and 1 special force); and the Army Aviation Command (one infantry division and one independent infantry brigade formed the Imperial Guard). These combat units.. were said to be 85 per cent operational, though some outside observers doubted this claim. During the mid-1970s, fully 80 per cent of Iran's ground forces were deployed along the Iraqi border, though official sources maintained that a large portion could be sent anywhere in the country.. by means of air force transports. Troop deployment was expected to shift south in the late 1970s with the opening of the
"The rapidly growing
Two years later, Gabriel listed the major formations of the Imperial Iranian Ground Forces in the final year of the Shah, 1979, as including the 16th (
Islamic Republic of Iran
Immediately after the 1979 revolution a series of purges gutted the core of the army's Western trained senior commanders. These included numerous executions ordered by Sadegh Khalkhali, the new Revolutionary Court judge. Between February and September 1979, Iran's government executed 85 senior generals and forced all major-generals and most brigadier-generals into early retirement.[17] By September 1980, the government had purged 12,000 army officers.[17] These purges resulted in a drastic decline in the Iranian military's operational capacities.[17] Their regular army (which, in 1978, was considered the world's fifth most powerful)[18] had been badly weakened. A shortage of spare parts for Iran's U.S.-made and British-made equipment began to cripple Iran's military forces. The desertion rate reached 60%, and the officer corps was devastated. The most highly skilled soldiers and aviators were exiled, imprisoned, or executed.
The last general to head the Imperial Iranian Army was General
The two Iranian Imperial Guard divisions were combined into the
The purges left the Army poorly prepared when Iraq invaded Iran at the beginning of the Iran–Iraq War. A Central Intelligence Agency assessment of 7 November 1979 said that Iranian military capabilities '..had not recovered significantly since the collapse of the armed forces in the February revolution. Ground forces capabilities remain limited despite some improvement in discipline and operational readiness in recent months.'[19]
Iran–Iraq War
Iraq invaded Iran, beginning the
From July 1985, the IISS started attributing an estimated three army headquarters to the Iranian Army where previously no headquarters above division level has been identified. These were identified by other sources later as the 1st Army (HQ Kermanshah), 2nd Army (HQ Tehran) and 3rd Army (HQ Shiraz).
In 1987, and on the verge of the end of the Iran–Iraq War, the Artesh was organised as follows:[6]
- Three mechanised divisions,
- Each of which composed of three armoured and six mechanised battalions organised into three brigades
- Seven infantry divisions (seemingly including the 21st, 77th Infantry Divisions),
- One special forces division composed of four brigades,
- One airborne brigade (55th Airborne Brigade?)
- One air support command,
and some independent armoured brigades including infantry and a "coastal force."
The war finally ended in 1988.
Post Iran–Iraq War
A new cadre of commanders, shaped by their experiences in the war, drastically reduced reliance on foreign supplied equipment and training.[citation needed] Following the war the military pursued a dramatic restructuring, much of it under total secrecy.[citation needed] While still only a mere shadow of its pre-revolutionary self, the Artesh rapidly re-asserted its abilities and started to grow again.[citation needed]
The IISS determined that at some point between 1992 and 1995 an additional army headquarters was raised (making a total of four). Later, some time between mid-1997 and mid-1999, the listing changed to that of four corps. The Jaffee Center's Middle East Military Balance 99-00 also lists the four corps the IISS had attributed.
Jane's reported in 2006 that the Army was commanded via three army level headquarters with 15 divisions.
The regular armoured divisions, including the
Structure
2012
- "The regular army.. has a number of independent brigades and groups, though there is almost no reliable data on the size and number of these smaller independent formations. These include one logistics brigade, an infantry brigade, an airborne brigade, special forces (Takavar) brigades, and five artillery brigades/regiments. There are also coastal defence units, a growing number of air defence groups, between four and six army aviation units, and a growing number of logistics and supply formations."
- "There are a variety of other reports of doubtful veracity. Some sources claim that small light formations in the regular army include an Airmobile Forces Group created after the IRGC are integrated into a Corps of about 30,000 soldiers, with integrated helicopter lift and air assault capabilities. These airborne and special forces troops are said to train together at Shiraz."
Many of these assessments appear to be
Most soldiers of the Iranian Army are well trained and determined, but their equipment is outdated or obsolete. They primarily use outdated Western-style equipment or newer, locally produced equipment, which is lower quality. Commanders generally appoint men to high level positions based on loyalty, rather than military skills.[25]
Since 2010 Iranian Army has undergone a reorganization process called Thamen alaeme general structure plan (طرح جامع ساختاری ثامن الائمه), this plan includes transformation from a division-centered model towards a brigade-centered model, a re-positioning of Army bases, the adding of new units and an increase in mobility of existing army units. To that effect, it has sheered off some brigades from existing divisions as well as establishing new brigades alongside of them. By March 2012 31 new independent brigades have been established throughout the army.[26][27]
The commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces is
Iranian Army Commissioned Officers and Enlisted Ranks
- Officers
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Iranian Ground Forces |
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ارتشبد Arteshbod |
سپهبد Sepahbod |
سرلشکر Sarlashkar |
سرتیپ Sartip |
سرتیپ دوم Sartip dovom |
سرهنگ Sarhang |
سرهنگ دوم Sarhang dovom |
سرگرد Sargord |
سروان Sarvān |
ستوان یکم Sotvān yekom |
ستوان دوم Sotvān dovom |
ستوان سوم Sotvān sevom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
General
|
Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Second brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Third lieutenant
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- Enlisted
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Iranian Ground Forces |
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استوار یکم Ostovar yekom |
استوار دوم Ostovar dovom |
گروهبان یکم Goruhban yekom |
گروهبان دوم Goruhban dovom |
گروهبان سوم Goruhban sevom |
سرجوخه Sarjukheh |
سرباز یکم Sarbaz yekom |
سرباز دوم Sarbaz dovom |
سرباز Sarbaz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer junior grade | Sergeant first class | Sergeant second class | Sergeant third class | Corporal | Private first class | Private second class | Private |
Equipment
Iran's main battle tanks include an estimated ~1500 or possibly more, indigenous
The
The main
The main
Commanders
No. | Portrait | Commander-in-Chief | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Commander of the Imperial Iranian Ground Force | ||||||
1 | Bahram Aryana (1906–1985) | General1955 | 1958 | 2–3 years | ||
2 | Abdolhossein Hejazi (1904–1969) | General1958 | 1961 | 2–3 years | ||
3 | Reza Azimi (1909–1999) | General1961 | 1965 | 3–4 years | ||
4 | Ezzatollah Zarghami | General1965 | 1969 | 3–4 years | ||
5 | Fathollah Minbashian | General11 May 1969 | 1972 | 2–3 years | ||
6 | Gholam Ali Oveissi (1918–1984) | General1972 | 10 January 1979 | 6–7 years | ||
7 | 10 January 1979 | 11 February 1979 † | 0 years | [32][33] | ||
Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces | ||||||
1 | Valiollah Fallahi (1931–1981) | Brigadier general1979 | 1980 | 0–1 years | ||
2 | Qasem-Ali Zahirnejad (1924–1999) | Brigadier general1980 | 1981 | 0–1 years | ||
3 | Ali Sayad Shirazi (1944–1999) | Colonel1 October 1981 | 2 August 1986 | 4 years | ||
4 | Hossein Hassani Sa'di (born 1940) | Colonel2 August 1986 | 8 May 1991 | 4 years | ||
5 | Abdollah Najafi | Brigadier general8 May 1991 | 25 October 1994 | 3 years | ||
6 | Ahmad Dadbin (born 1955) | Brigadier general25 October 1994 | 1997 | 2–3 years | ||
7 | Abdolali Pourshasb | Brigadier general1997 | 10 February 2001 | 3–4 years | ||
8 | Nasser Mohammadifar | Brigadier general2001 | 2005 | 3–4 years | ||
9 | Mohammad-Hossein Dadras | Brigadier general2005 | 2008 | 2–3 | ||
10 | Ahmad Reza Pourdastan (born 1956) | Brigadier general2008 | 19 November 2016 | 7–8 | ||
11 | Kioumars Heydari (born 1964) | Brigadier general19 November 2016 | Incumbent | 7 years, 129 days | [34] |
See also
References
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Country Studies. Federal Research Division.
- ^ "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) - ^ "Iranian Armed Forces" (PDF). CSIS. 25 July 2006. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2008.
- ^ "How big is Iran's military?". Reuters. 28 September 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ "General Ghorbani: Iran helicopter fleet, strongest in Middle East".
- TheGuardian.com. 23 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d Library of Congress Country Studies, Armed Forces: Historical Background, 1987
- ^ Ward 2014, p. 125-6.
- ISBN 978-1-84603-491-6. Page Number required (Unclear from G-Books).
- ^ Ward 2014, p. 154.
- ^ Ward 2014, p. 155.
- ^ George Lenczowski, American Presidents and the Middle East, (1990), p. 7-13
- ISBN 978-0-7146-5001-2., pp. 72-73, see also John Akehurst, We won a war: the campaign in Oman 1965-1975, 82.
- ^ Area Handbook for the Persian Gulf States, 396.
- ^ Richard F. Nyrop (ed), Iran, a country study / Foreign Area Studies, The American University American University (Washington, D.C.). [Washington : Dept. of Defense, Dept. of the Army] : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1978. 3d ed. p401
- ^ Nyrop et al 1978, p404.
- ISBN 978-0-313-23904-5, army order of battle of 1978−79.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84176-371-2.
- ^ Farmanfarmaian, Roxane (14 February 2011). "What makes a revolution succeed?". Al Jazeera.
- ^ "Status of Iranian Armed Forces, National Foreign Assessment Centre, Central Intelligence Agency" (PDF). 7 November 1979. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2017.
- ^ a b "National Security". Pars Times.
- ISBN 978-0-8032-8783-9.
- ^ "Jane's World Armies profile: Iran". Jane's Defence News. Janes.com. 29 August 2006. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
- ^ IISS Military Balance 2008, p.242
- ^ Iranian Army. GlobalSecurity.org. Accessed August 2012.
- ^ "Iran: So Many Secrets Are Secret No More". strategypage.com.
- ^ "Introducing of 10 new army achievements". Mashreghnews.ir. March 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ "Unveiling of new army achievements". Mashreghnews.ir. April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 2009, Routledge for the IISS, London, 2009, p.245
- ^ "How big is Iran's military?". International Institute for Strategic Studies. 28 September 2009. Archived from the original on 17 February 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
- ^ IISS Military Balance 2009, p.245
- ^ "Panha hovers between repair and manufacturing". Jane's Air Forces News. Janes.com. 27 August 2001. Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-7391-3340-8.
- ^ Mohammad Sahimi (3 February 2010). "The Ten Days that Changed Iran". PBS. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
- ^ "انتصاب جانشین فرمانده کل ارتش و فرمانده نیروی زمینی ارتش" [Appointment of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Commander of the Army Ground Forces]. farsi.khamenei.ir (in Persian). 20 November 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- Richard A. Gabriel, ed. (27 September 1983), Fighting Armies: Antagonists in the Middle East – A Combat Assessment, Greenwood Press, ISBN 978-0-313-23904-5– includes army order of battle of 1978−79
- Metz, Helen C. (1989). Iran : a country study. Area Handbook Series, DA Pam 550-68. Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O. "Research completed October 1987."
- Ward, Steven R. (2014). Immortal: a military history of Iran and its armed forces. Georgetown University Press. ISBN 9781626160323.
Further reading
- Ervand Abrahamian, A History of Modern Iran, 2018
- Stephanie Cronin, "The Army and the Creation of the Pahlavi State in Iran, 1910–1926."
- Echo of Iran, "Iran Almanac and Book of Facts," annual, 1961-1970 (1970 was ninth edition). Lists divisions; 1966 edition lists Imperial Guard Brigade; 2nd Division Tabriz; 3rd Division Azarbaijan; 4th Div MashadDivision.
- Kaveh Farrokh, Iran at War: 1500-1988, Osprey Hardcover, released 24 May 2011; ISBN 978-1-84603-491-6.
- Gregory F. Rose, The Post-Revolutionary Purge of Iran's Armed Forces: A Revisionist Assessment, Iranian Studies, Vol. 17, No. 2/3 (Spring – Summer, 1984), pp. 153–194.
- Ẕukāʼ, Yaḥyá, The Imperial Iranian Army from Cyrus to Pahlavi, Imperial Iranian Armed Forces Committee for the Celebration of the 2,500th Anniversary of the Founding of the Persian Empire, 1970.
- Peter Oborne and David Morrison, A Dangerous Delusion, 2013. Review by Michael Axworthy, The Daily Telegraph, 27 Apr 2013.
- Lieutenant Colonel A. Pavlov, "Iran's Ground Forces," Zarubezhnoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, no. 10 (October 1987), translated in Joint Publications Research Service-UFM-88-003, May 9, 1988, 13.
- Sepehr Zabir, The Iranian Military in Revolution and War (RLE Iran D), First Published 1988; eBook Published 27 April 2012, Routledge, London. DOI The Iranian Military in Revolution and War (RLE Iran D)
- Donald N. Wilbur, "Iran Past and Present," Princeton University Press, 1963 – p. 147 describes up to six corps and multiple divisions.
External links
- CSIS, Iran and the Gulf Military Balance: Conventional and Asymmetric Dimensions, revised 6 January 2013