Iran, along with Egypt and Turkey, is one of the most densely populated countries in the Middle East.Evaluating an important strategic position, conscious of the enormous cultural value of the country, having a thousand-year history, the Iranian leaders have always sought to play a leading role in solving regional and international issues, pursuing a policy of attracting a variety of resources for their country, including, in particular, strong armed forces.
Iranian Army, consisting of army, navy and air force and air defense forces, in its present form was created in the mid-1920s, during the reign of the Pahlavi dynasty.Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran wanted to make a regional power, which, of course, needed an advanced army.He was sent to study at military academies abroad, thousands of officers are also hired a foreign military for training the soldiers and officers in Iran.Thanks to his efforts, has laid a strong foundation for creating modern air force and navy.
His successor - Mohammad Reza Pahlavi - continued the policy of his father and was eager to make the country the strongest military power in the Middle East and South Asia.This strategy, which was based on close cooperation with the Western powers, especially the United States, led to the creation of large and powerful armed forces.Between Washington and Tehran have signed contracts for the supply of modern weapons.This informal alliance was decisive in containing Soviet influence in the region.
Iranian Army also played an important role in support of the Sultan of Oman during the rebellion in Dhofar raised leftist separatist organization.During the 1970s, Imperial Iranian Army (since then called the army) have undergone rapid transformation and significantly increased their strength.
1979 Iranian revolution changed the dynamics of the strategic principle.The new leaders did not trust the armed forces who served the Shah, established the Revolutionary Guards, which is better funded and equipped with than Iran's regular army.
Immediately after the revolution, a series of purges, so that was gutted core of highly skilled senior officers, trained by Western standards.In 1984, the military governor of Tehran while Pahlavi, the Imperial Iranian Army General Gholam-Ali Oveyssi was killed in Paris.He was replaced by General Garabagi Abbas, who reformed the armed forces.But they were ill-prepared, when Iraq invaded Iran.
Army was involved in the eight-year war with Iraq (1980 and 1988), in which the conservative Arab countries, the US, and in general most of the world supported Saddam Hussein, spoke out against Iran.In addition, since 1979, the Islamic Republic was under a variety of economic and diplomatic sanctions by the United States that have affected the ability of Tehran to import weapons from Western countries.Iran began to import arms from the Soviet Union, China and North Korea, and began to develop its own arms industry.
But most important was the fact that the overall environment has changed significantly.For many years, Iran's army was the main purpose - protection against real and potential enemies (Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan).But these two hostile Iran regime were overthrown by the international coalition, subordinated to the United States.Tehran was surrounded by the US and Israel, without being able to know about their true intentions and are under constant sight.The heavy US military presence, the threat of attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities by the US or Israel - the main causes of serious problems arising not only in the armed forces, but in the whole military and political establishment in Tehran.
However, we should recognize that Iran's leaders before the revolution and after it have always been satisfied with the general configuration of the country, have never shown serious interest in annexing any foreign territories.
course, perennial sanctions imposed a heavy burden on the armed forces and the country as a whole.Despite the fact that the army of Iran 2012-2013, is one of the largest in the Middle East, it is poorly equipped and almost ready for any serious attacks.It does not have modern armored vehicles, artillery, aviation, even large warships.
