Concept
Concept
Iranian Military History
تاریخ نظامی ایران
Iran's military tradition from the Achaemenid Immortals and Parthian cavalry to modern armies, reflecting the rise and fall of Iranian power through history.
Read in context →At a glance
- Two main pillars
- Artesh & IRGC
- Strategic focus
- Ballistic missiles & drones
Detail
This section addresses the structure, history, and capabilities of Iran's armed forces. The military of the Islamic Republic of Iran comprises two main pillars: the regular Army (Artesh — conventional land, air, and naval forces) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which includes the missile force, the Quds Force, and the Basij. Iran places particular emphasis on its ballistic missile program, drones, and asymmetric warfare, a focus that is central to regional rivalries and international tensions.
Sources
- IISS — 'The Military Balance'
- Encyclopaedia Iranica — 'Army' / 'Sepāh-e Pāsdārān'
- Britannica — 'Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps'