Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces

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

Together, the regular armed forces, the Artesh, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are made up of approximately 610,000 active-duty personnel plus 350,000 reserve and trained personnel that can be mobilized when needed, bringing the country's military manpower to about 960,000 total personnel. 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. It was established by a decree of May 1979. 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.

The dual military structure of the Artesh and the IRGC has led to structural inefficiencies, these include overlapping command hierarchies, redundant logistics networks, and parallel military systems across all service branches. This setup has been criticized for its lack of transparency, limited parliamentary oversight, and its questionable contribution to national defense.

Most of Iran's weapons consists of equipment from its robust domestic rearmament program, which the country launched and its inventory has become increasingly indigenous. Most of the country's military hardware is domestically manufactured, and Iran had become an exporter of arms by the 2000s. 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, 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.

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. 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.

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.