Iranian military industry
Encyclopedia
Iran's military industry has taken great strides in the past 25 years, and now manufactures many types of arms and equipments. According to Iranian officials, the country sold $100 million worth of military equipment in 2003. and as of 2006 had exported weapons to 57 countries. Iran's military industry, under the command of Iran's Ministry of Defense, is composed of the following main components:
, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
. In 1973, the Iran Electronics Industries (IEI)
was founded to organize efforts to assemble and repair foreign-delivered weapons. Most of Iran's weapons before the Islamic revolution were imported from the United States and Europe. Between 1971 and 1975, the Shah
went on a buying spree, ordering $8 billion in weapons from the United States
alone. This alarmed the United States Congress
, which strengthened a 1968 law on arms exports in 1976 and renamed it the Arms Export Control Act. Still, the United States continued to sell large amounts of weapons to Iran until the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In 1977, the Iranian Defense Industries Organization
began to work on missiles jointly with Israel
in Project Flower
and requested a joint missile development program with the United States
which was rejected.
In 1979, the country took the first step into manufacturing by reverse engineering Soviet RPG-7
, BM21, and SA-7 missiles.
After the Islamic revolution and the start of the Iran–Iraq War, economic sanctions and an international arms embargo led by the United States
coupled with a high demand for military hardware forced Iran to rely on its domestic arms industry for repair and spare parts. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
was put in charge of re-organising the domestic military industry. Under their command Iran's military industry was dramatically expanded, and with the Ministry of Defence pouring capital into the missile industry, Iran soon had an arsenal of missiles.
Since 1992, it also has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, a submarine, and a fighter plane.
In 2007, following events in Iran's Nuclear Program, the United Nations
Security Council placed sanctions on Iran forbidding it from exporting any form of weapons.
Videos
- Iran Electronics Industries (SAIRAN)
- Defense Industries OrganizationDefense Industries OrganizationThe Defense Industries Organization The Defense Industries Organization The Defense Industries Organization (DIO; Persian: Sasadjah (Sazemane Sanaye Defa) is a conglomerate of companies run by the Islamic Republic of Iran whose function is to provide the military of Iran with the necessary...
- Aerospace Industries OrganizationIranian Space AgencyThe Iranian Space Agency is Iran's governmental space agency. Iran is an active participant in the Asian space race and became an orbital-launch-capable nation in 2009...
- Aviation Industries OrganizationIran Aviation Industries OrganizationThe Iran Aviation Industries Organization was established in 1966 for the purpose of planning, controlling, and managing the military aviation industry of Iran....
- Marine Industries Organization
History
Iran's military industry was born under the last Shah of IranPahlavi dynasty
The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty consisted of two Iranian/Persian monarchs, father and son Reza Shah Pahlavi (reg. 1925–1941) and Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi The Pahlavi dynasty ...
, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
. In 1973, the Iran Electronics Industries (IEI)
Iran Electronics Industries (IEI)
Iran Electronics Industries is a state-owned subsidiary of Iran's Defense Industries Organization...
was founded to organize efforts to assemble and repair foreign-delivered weapons. Most of Iran's weapons before the Islamic revolution were imported from the United States and Europe. Between 1971 and 1975, the Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
went on a buying spree, ordering $8 billion in weapons from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alone. This alarmed the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, which strengthened a 1968 law on arms exports in 1976 and renamed it the Arms Export Control Act. Still, the United States continued to sell large amounts of weapons to Iran until the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In 1977, the Iranian Defense Industries Organization
Defense Industries Organization
The Defense Industries Organization The Defense Industries Organization The Defense Industries Organization (DIO; Persian: Sasadjah (Sazemane Sanaye Defa) is a conglomerate of companies run by the Islamic Republic of Iran whose function is to provide the military of Iran with the necessary...
began to work on missiles jointly with Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in Project Flower
Project Flower
Project Flower was a joint military project of Israel and Iran in July 1977. It was a collaborative effort to reproduce an American-designed missile with Israeli-made parts that could be fitted with nuclear warheads...
and requested a joint missile development program with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which was rejected.
In 1979, the country took the first step into manufacturing by reverse engineering Soviet RPG-7
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
, BM21, and SA-7 missiles.
After the Islamic revolution and the start of the Iran–Iraq War, economic sanctions and an international arms embargo led by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
coupled with a high demand for military hardware forced Iran to rely on its domestic arms industry for repair and spare parts. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
The Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution , often called Revolutionary Guards, is a branch of Iran's military, founded after the Iranian revolution...
was put in charge of re-organising the domestic military industry. Under their command Iran's military industry was dramatically expanded, and with the Ministry of Defence pouring capital into the missile industry, Iran soon had an arsenal of missiles.
Since 1992, it also has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, a submarine, and a fighter plane.
In 2007, following events in Iran's Nuclear Program, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council placed sanctions on Iran forbidding it from exporting any form of weapons.
See also
- International Rankings of Iran in Military
- List of military equipment manufactured in Iran
- Military of IranMilitary of IranThe Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran include the IRIA and the IRGC and the Police Force .These forces total about 545,000 active personnel . All branches of armed forces fall under the command of General Headquarters of Armed Forces...
- Iran's missile forces
- Passive radarPassive radarPassive radar systems encompass a class of radar systems that detect and track objects by processing reflections from non-cooperative sources of illumination in the environment, such as commercial broadcast and communications signals...
- Current Equipment of the Iranian Army
- Iran Aviation Industries OrganizationIran Aviation Industries OrganizationThe Iran Aviation Industries Organization was established in 1966 for the purpose of planning, controlling, and managing the military aviation industry of Iran....
- Defense Industries Organization (DIO)Defense Industries OrganizationThe Defense Industries Organization The Defense Industries Organization The Defense Industries Organization (DIO; Persian: Sasadjah (Sazemane Sanaye Defa) is a conglomerate of companies run by the Islamic Republic of Iran whose function is to provide the military of Iran with the necessary...
- Iran Electronics Industries (IEI)Iran Electronics Industries (IEI)Iran Electronics Industries is a state-owned subsidiary of Iran's Defense Industries Organization...
- Economy of IranEconomy of IranThe economy of Iran is the eighteenth largest in the world by purchasing power parity and according to Iranian officials' claims is going to become the 12th largest by 2015. The economy of Iran is a mixed and transition economy with a large public sector and some 50% of the economy centrally planned...
- Industry of IranIndustry of IranAccording to a report by the Economist, Iran has been ranked 39th for producing $23 billion of industrial products in 2008. From 2008 to 2009 Iran has leaped to 28th place from 69th place in annual industrial production growth rate. A recent report by the World Fact Book ranks Iran 3rd among...
External links
- Defense Industries Organization
- Iran Electronics Industries
- Iranian Aerospace Industries Organization
- Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company
- Iran Defence links and news
- Iranian Military Pictures & videos
Videos
- Iran's military industry - PressTV 2011