Islamic Republic of Iran Army

The Islamic Republic of Iran Army , acronymed AJA (<a href="/facts/Persian_language/jfUYbHbt">Persian</a>: آجا), simply known as the Iranian Army or the Artesh (<a href="/facts/Persian_language/jfUYbHbt">Persian</a>: ارتش, <a href="/facts/Romanization_of_Persian/qlHk4p54">romanized</a>: Arteš,(Ərteš)), is the conventional military of <a href="/facts/Iran/24yukge8">Iran</a> and part of the <a href="/facts/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Armed_Forces/U1ybKhQc">Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces</a>. It is tasked to protect the <a href="/facts/Territorial_integrity/dxXMAhfW">territorial integrity</a> of the country from external and internal threats and to <a href="/facts/Power_projection/kW3ypzUF">project power</a>.
The Artesh has its own <a href="/facts/Joint_Staff_of_the_Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Army/VbFTSeyo">Joint Staff</a> which coordinates its four separate service branches: the <a href="/facts/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Army_Ground_Forces/yVHunuA3">Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces</a>, the <a href="/facts/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Air_Force/up92PhTe">Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force</a>, the <a href="/facts/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Navy/rwS0DNwG">Islamic Republic of Iran Navy</a> and the <a href="/facts/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Air_Defense_Force/NHBqFVgt">Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force</a>.
In addition to the army (Artesh), Iran also maintains the <a href="/facts/Islamic_Revolutionary_Guard_Corps/6EMxlKlm">Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps</a>, a separate military force established after the <a href="/facts/Iranian_Revolution/frTYhJ0F">1979 Islamic Revolution</a>. 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 <a href="/facts/Quds_Force/oy4ag49T">Quds Force</a>, 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 <a href="/facts/IRGC/6EMxlKlm">the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps</a> 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.

Islamic Republic of Iran Army open-in-new

Islamic Republic of Iran Army