During the late 1970s the Imperial Iranian Ground
Forces, was undergoing a rapid increase in strength. In 1979 it was
a largely mechanized and armored force of about 285,000 troops,
organized in 3 corps, with headquarters in Tehran area, in
Shiraz in the south, and in Kermanshah near the Iraq
border. There was even Plans for a fourth corps, to be established
at the new Chah Bahar complex at the eastern end of the
Persian Gulf. Major ground formations included 3 armored divisions
(One more in organization in Sistan) each with six tank battalions
and five mechanized infantry battalions, 3 infantry divisions, 2
Imperial Guard Divisions and 4 independent brigades (1 armored, 1
infantry, 1 airborne and 1 Special Forces) and the Army Aviation
Command. These combat units, backed up by the usual complement of
support units, were said to be 85 percent operational. During the
mid-1970s fully 80 percent of Irans ground forces were deployed
along the Iraqi border, though official sources maintained that a
large portion of these could be sent anywhere in the country within
twenty-four hours by means of air force transports. Troop deployment
was expected to shift south during the late 1970s with the opening
of the Chah Bahar facility.
Total (in 1979): 285,000
Reserves: 300,000
Main Unites:
- 16th Armored Division - Ghazvin
- 81th
Armored Division - Kermanshah
- 92th
Armored Division - Khuzestan
- 88th
Armored Division - Sistan
- 1th
Infantry Imperial Guard Division
(After the revolution changed to 21th Infantry Div.)
- 2th
Imperial Guard Division (After the
revolution changed to 21th Infantry Div.)
- 28th
Infantry Division - Kurdistan
- 64th
Infantry Division - Rezaieh
- 77th
Infantry Division - Khorasan
- 84th
Infantry Brigade - Khoramabad (Division during the war
with Iraq)
- 55th
Airborne Brigade - Shiraz (Division
during the war with Iraq)
- 23th
Special forces Brigade - Nohed
-Tehran (Division during the war with Iraq)
- 37th
Armored Brigade - Shiraz
- 11th
Artillery Unit
- 22th
Artillery Unit
- 23th
Artillery Unit
- 44th
Artillery Unit
- 55th
Artillery Unit
- Hawk
missiles Battalions (4 units)
Artillery
