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