Iran Army

The land forces of Iran are divided between two parallel standing forces: the regular army ground forces, known as NEZAJA, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ground Forces. NEZAJA operates under a regional command structure divided into operational sectors, including the Northwestern Regional Headquarters in Urumiyeh, the Southwestern Regional Headquarters in Ahvaz, the Western Regional Headquarters in Kermanshah, and headquarters covering the northeast and southeast. Combat formations are organized into armored divisions, such as the 16th Armored Division at Qazvin, the 81st Armored Division at Kermanshah, and the 92nd Armored Division in Khuzestan. Mechanized and infantry divisions include the 21st Infantry Division in Tabriz, the 28th Division in Sanandaj, the 77th Division in Mashhad, and the 84th Division in Khorramabad. Specialized formations include the 55th Airborne Brigade based in Shiraz, the 65th NOHOD Special Forces Brigade, and various independent commando and artillery groups.

Armored units operate main battle tanks including T-72S variants, domestic Karrar tanks, Zulfiqar models, and legacy platforms such as Chieftain and Safir-74 tanks. Mechanized infantry units are equipped with BMP-1, BMP-2, and indigenously produced Boragh infantry fighting vehicles, alongside BTR-60 and M113 armored personnel carriers. Tube artillery forces employ self-propelled systems like the Raad-1, Raad-2, 2S1 Gvozdika, and M109, as well as towed D-30 and M-46 howitzers. Multiple launch rocket systems include BM-21 Grad, Fajr-3, and Fajr-5 launchers. Mobile air defense capability relies on Majid, Mersad, and Tor-M1 short-to-medium-range missile systems, complemented by Misagh man-portable air defense launchers. Army aviation, designated Havaniruz, operates AH-1J SeaCobra attack helicopters, domestically upgraded Toufan variants, and transport platforms including Bell 205, Bell 214, and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Unmanned aerial vehicles, including Mohajer, Ababil, and Yasir series drones, provide reconnaissance and tactical strike capabilities.

Primary operational missions center on territorial defense and border control. Active operations concentrate on counter-insurgency and cross-border security along the northwestern frontiers against Kurdish armed groups and along the eastern borders in Sistan and Balochistan against militant groups. Historical combat experience derives from the Iran-Iraq War, complemented by expeditionary advisory deployments in Syria. Modernization relies primarily on domestic refitting programs due to international procurement constraints. Upgrade programs include the Soleiman-402, which refits M60A1 tanks with explosive reactive armor, remote weapon stations, and electro-optical countermeasures, with initial deliveries entering service in 2025. Modernization efforts also encompass the production of Karrar main battle tanks, local fabrication of armored vehicles, and expansion of brigade-level tactical drone integration.