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Iran
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Iran, also known as Persia, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a sovereign state in Western Asia. Comprising a land area of 1,648,195 km2, it is the second-largest country in the Middle East, with 82.8 million inhabitants, Iran is the worlds 17th-most-populous country. It is the country with both a Caspian Sea and an Indian Ocean coastline. The countrys central location in Eurasia and Western Asia, and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran is the countrys capital and largest city, as well as its leading economic and cultural center. Iran is the site of to one of the worlds oldest civilizations, the area was first unified by the Iranian Medes in 625 BC, who became the dominant cultural and political power in the region. The empire collapsed in 330 BC following the conquests of Alexander the Great, under the Sassanid Dynasty, Iran again became one of the leading powers in the world for the next four centuries. Beginning in 633 AD, Arabs conquered Iran and largely displaced the indigenous faiths of Manichaeism and Zoroastrianism by Islam, Iran became a major contributor to the Islamic Golden Age that followed, producing many influential scientists, scholars, artists, and thinkers. During the 18th century, Iran reached its greatest territorial extent since the Sassanid Empire, through the late 18th and 19th centuries, a series of conflicts with Russia led to significant territorial losses and the erosion of sovereignty. Popular unrest culminated in the Persian Constitutional Revolution of 1906, which established a monarchy and the countrys first legislative body. Following a coup instigated by the U. K. Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution, Irans rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the third-largest number in Asia and 11th-largest in the world. Iran is a member of the UN, ECO, NAM, OIC. Its political system is based on the 1979 Constitution which combines elements of a democracy with a theocracy governed by Islamic jurists under the concept of a Supreme Leadership. A multicultural country comprising numerous ethnic and linguistic groups, most inhabitants are Shia Muslims, the largest ethnic groups in Iran are the Persians, Azeris, Kurds and Lurs. Historically, Iran has been referred to as Persia by the West, due mainly to the writings of Greek historians who called Iran Persis, meaning land of the Persians. As the most extensive interactions the Ancient Greeks had with any outsider was with the Persians, however, Persis was originally referred to a region settled by Persians in the west shore of Lake Urmia, in the 9th century BC. The settlement was then shifted to the end of the Zagros Mountains. In 1935, Reza Shah requested the international community to refer to the country by its native name, opposition to the name change led to the reversal of the decision, and Professor Ehsan Yarshater, editor of Encyclopædia Iranica, propagated a move to use Persia and Iran interchangeably
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Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran
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The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran include the Army, the Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Law Enforcement Force. These forces total about 523,000 active personnel, all branches of armed forces fall under the command of General Staff of Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics is responsible for planning logistics, with the Iranian revolution in 1979, deteriorating relations with the United States of America resulted in international sanctions led by the USA, including an arms embargo being imposed on Iran. Revolutionary Iran was taken by surprise, by the Iraqi invasion that began the Iran–Iraq War of 1980–1988, during this conflict, there were several confrontations with the United States. From 1987, the United States Central Command sought to stop Iranian mine-laying vessels from blocking the sea lanes through the Persian Gulf in Operation Prime Chance. On April 18,1988, the U. S. retaliated for the Iranian mining of the USS Samuel B. Roberts in Operation Praying Mantis. Simultaneously, the Iranian armed forces had to learn to maintain and keep operational, their stocks of U. S. -built equipment and weaponry without outside help. However, Iran was able to obtain limited amounts of American-made armaments, at first, deliveries came via Israel and later, from the USA. The Iranian government established a five-year rearmament program in 1989 to replace worn-out weaponry from the Iran-Iraq war, Iran spent $10 billion between 1989 and 1992 on arms. Iran ordered weapons designed to prevent other states naval vessels from accessing the sea, including marines, a former military-associated police force, the Iranian Gendarmerie, was merged with the National Police and Revolutionary Committees in 1990. From 2003, there have been repeated U. S. in 2004, Iranian armed forces took Royal Navy personnel prisoner, on the Shatt al-Arab river, between Iran and Iraq. They were released three days following diplomatic discussions between the UK and Iran. In 2007, Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces also took prisoner Royal Navy personnel when a party from HMS Cornwall was seized in the waters between Iran and Iraq, in the Persian Gulf. They were released thirteen days later, according to Juan Cole, Iran has never launched an aggressive war in modern history, and its leadership adheres to a doctrine of no first strike. The countrys military budget is the lowest per capita in the Persian Gulf region besides the UAE, since 1979, there have been no foreign military bases present in Iran. According to Article 146 of the Iranian Constitution, the establishment of any military base in the country is forbidden, even for peaceful purposes. On 4 December 2011, an American RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aerial vehicle was captured by Iranian forces near the city of Kashmar in northeastern Iran. In 2012, it was announced that Irans Quds Force is operating inside Syria providing the government of Bashar al-Assad with intelligence, there is an emphasis on the monitoring of protesters use of the internet and mobile phone networks, including text messaging
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Islamic Republic of Iran Navy
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Navy of Islamic Republic of Iran Army acronymed NEDAJA, is the naval warfare service branch of Irans regular military, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. It is charged with the responsibility of forming Irans first line of defense in the Gulf of Oman, in July 2016, the Navy said that it would establish a presence in the Atlantic Ocean, of unspecified duration. Despite IRGC Navy which is equipped with the small fast attack crafts, backbone of the Artesh navy’s inventory consists of surface ships, including frigates and corvettes. The Iranian navy was rebuilt after being almost completely destroyed during the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran in World War II, the destroyers were instead commissioned in the U. S. Navy as the Kidd class, while construction of the frigates had not yet started. Irans three destroyers are over 50 years old and are kept in reserve at Bushehr. The navy does not include ships, its largest ships are five frigates. The main focus of the IRI Navy seems to be on developing new frigates, corvettes and medium to large fast boats capable of carrying modern, three of five frigates, however, were commissioned over 25 years ago and these ships have been updated with Chinese C-802 missiles. Irans three corvettes were commissioned over 30 years ago, one was originally a government yacht but has now been armed with C-802 missiles as well and these eight ships are supported by three Russian built, SSK Kilo-class attack submarines and Ghadir and Nahang-class mini submarines. An Iranian navy in one form or another has existed since Achaemenid times, the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy came into being when the former Imperial Iranian Navy of the Pahlavi Era was renamed following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Following this was the US-led arms embargo on Iran and the Iran–Iraq War, the arms embargo restricted Irans ability to maintain and equip its navy. It had to find new sources of armaments, equipment and weaponry were imported from the Soviet Union, China, North Korea and later, Russia. Iran also established its own domestic armaments industry and this industry has also supported the navy by providing weaponry, equipment and spare parts. Suffering from decaying Western-supplied weapons purchased by the Shah, Tehran has been acquiring new weapons from Russia, China, Iran has expanded the capabilities of the naval branch of the IRGC, acquired additional mine warfare capability, and upgraded some of its older surface ships. Irans exercises have included a number of joint and combined arms exercises with the land forces. Iran has also improved its ports and strengthened its air defences, while obtaining some logistic and technical support from states like India, Russia and India were reported to be assisting Iran with training and operating its Kilo-class submarines. In May 2005, Iran navy announced that it had launched its first Ghadir-class midget submarine, during 2000, the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy Aviation significantly improved its capability by taking delivery from Russia, of a number of Mi-8 AMT transport/attack helicopters. Under a contract signed in 1999, Russia agreed to supply 21 Mi-171s to Iran, delivery was completed in 2001, although the exact number destined for the navy was unknown. In summer 2001, there were indications that Iran would order a further 20 Mi-171s, although as of mid-2004, an AIO spokesperson confirmed that Project Noor involves the C-701
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Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
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The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force is the aviation branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The present Air Force came into being in the early 1980s when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed, the Air Force has attempted with some success to maintain in service the large number of American-built aircraft which Iran acquired during the Shahs regime. The Air Force has turned to purchases of Soviet and Chinese aircraft, as well as pressing ex-Iraqi aircraft into service, and indigenously built aircraft, in order to maintain a capable force. As of June 2016, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force possesses 348 fighters, making it the ninth most powerful air arm in the world, on paper. The IRIAF came into being when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, due to strained relations with the west, Iran had to procure new equipment from Brazil, Russia and the Peoples Republic of China. Since the Revolution, the composition of the IRIAF is hard to determine. Many aircraft belonging to the Iraqi Air Force took refuge in Iran during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, and many were put into service with the IRIAF or taken apart for spare parts. Due to the spare parts shortages faced by the air force. In 2002, Iran with the co-operation of Ukraine, successfully started the manufacture of the Iran-140, simultaneously, Iran began construction of two domestically produced fighters, upgraded using technology from the F-14 Tomcat and the F-5 Tiger II. The fighters have been named the Azarakhsh and the Shafaq, since then the country has also become self-sufficient in the manufacture of helicopters. The country claims that it is capable of producing the old U. S. AH-1 Cobra gunship, additionally, Iran also produces Bell Helicopter Bell 212 and Bell 206 helicopters in serial production. These are known respectively as the Shabaviz 2-75 and the Shabaviz 206, a series of purges and forced retirements resulted in the manpower of the service being halved between February 1979 and July 1980, leaving the IRIAF ill-prepared for the Iran–Iraq War. The Iranians retaliated with operation Kaman-99 which involved 206 F-4, F-5, on 23 September 1980, Iran launched Operation Kaman 99 as 40 F-4 Phantoms, armed with Mark 82, Mark 83 and Mark 84 bombs and AGM-65 Maverick missiles, took off from Hamadan. After refueling in mid-air the Phantoms reached the Iraqi capital Baghdad, meanwhile, eight More F-4s took off from Tehran and launched a second attack on the al-Rashid airbase. Iran proceeded to launch 58 F-5E Tiger IIs from Tabriz, which were sent to attack Mosul Airbase, after the attack on Mosul Airbase, another 50 F-5Es were dispatched to strike Nasiriyah Airbase, which was heavily damaged. As all 146 Iranian F-4s and F-5s had been sent for a raid on Iraq,60 F-14 Tomcats were scrambled to defend Iranian airspace against a possible Iraqi retaliation. Iranian F-14s managed to down 2 Iraqi MiG-21s and 3 Iraqi MiG-23s, Iraqi MiG-23s managed to down 2 F-5Es, while Iraqi MiG-21s also downed 2 F-5Es. Iraqis also by mistake shot down one of their own Il-76MD strategic airlifters with a SA-3 SAM, saddam Hussein and the Iraqi military were dealt a heavy blow when Iranian Air Force vulnerabilities failed to materialize
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Armed forces of Iran