Rank insignia of the Iranian military
Modern Iranian military ranking system is a modified system employed originally by the armies of Achaemenid Empire. The names of the military ranks used today are the Old Persian language military terminologies. Equivalent US army ranks are used to describe the Iranian military ranks.
These military ranks are official designations used by Iranian military personnel and in official documents. Alternatively, civilians use a unique ranking system to address the officers and enlisted personnel employing these semi-official titles:
- Sarkaar (سرکار): It is the lowest addressing rank for uniformed enlisted personnel and is used for official military ranks from that of 1st Private "Sarbaz sevom" سرباز ۳ up to the rank of Sergeant Major "Ostovar yekom" استوار ۱.
- Jenaab (جناب): This title is used for officers with official military ranks from that of Sotvan sevom ستوان ۳ up to the rank of Colonel "Sarhang" سرهنگ.
- Ameer (امیر) or Teemsaar (تیمسار): It is highest title rank used for addressing Generals by civilian public. It is exclusively used for the Generals of Iranian armed forces who have graduated from Iranian Command and General Staff College, "DAFOS" (دافوس). The title of Teemsaar (تیمسار) was more extensively used before the Iranian Revolution and after the Revolution the term Ameer (امیر) has replaced it, though they both are still interchangeably used.
- Sardaar (سردار): Its use is the same as for Ameer (امیر) or Teemsaar (تیمسار) ranks and employed while addressing Generals who have graduated from Iranian Command and General Staff College, "DAFOS" (دافوس) but with the difference that this title is only used for the Generals of IRGC.
These civilian title rankings of military personnel carry connotations of respect and patriotic affection. Furthermore they are only used for Iranian forces personnel and are not usually employed for foreign forces military personnel.
Similarly, the military personnel may address in person their immediate commanding officers with the unofficial title of Ghorbaan (قربان), usually substituting this title for their official rank and name as a sign of respect much in the same way the title of sir is used in US army.
Official military rankings
The following is a description of Iranian military ranks and their insignias:
Enlisted grade personnel
- Private Third Class (Sarbaz sevom) (سرباز ۳): It is the lowest military rank. It is represented by a color bordered blank shoulder strip.
- Private Second Class (Sarbaz dovom) (سرباز ۲): It is the second lowest military rank awarded usually by the end of six months of service after basic training. It is represented by a single chevron.
- Private First Class (Sarbaz yekom) (سرباز ۱): It is represented by two chevrons.
- Corporal (Sarjukhe) (سرجوخه) ["Razm yar" (رزم یار)]: It is represented by three chevrons.
- Sergeant (Gruhban) (۳ گروهبان) ["Razm avar sevom" (رزم آور سوم)]: It is represented by a single diamond tipped chevron.
- Sergeant Second Class (Gruhban dovom) (گروهبان ۲) ["Razm avar dovom" (رزم آور دوم)]: It is represented by two chevrons diamond tipped at top.
- Sergeant First Class (Gruhban yekom) (گروهبان ۱) ["Razm avar yekom" (رزم آور یکم)]: It is represented by three chevrons diamond tipped at top.
- Sergeant Major Second Class (Ostovar dovom) (استوار ۲) ["Razm dar dovom" (رزم دار دوم)]: It is represented by three chevrons diamond tipped at top with a single curved strip at the bottom.
- Sergeant Major First Class (Ostovar yekom) (استوار ۱) ["Razm dar yekom" (رزم دار یکم)]: It is represented by three chevrons diamond tipped at top with two curved strips at the bottom.
Commissioned grade officers
Company grade officers
- Third Lieutenant (Sotvan sevom) (ستوان سوم): It is the most junior officer and the first officer rank. The rank is depicted by one star on the shoulder.
- Second Lieutenant (Sotvan dovom) (ستوان دوم): It is the second most junior officer rank and is represented by two stars on the shoulder.
- First Lieutenant (Sotvan yekom) (ستوان يكم): It is the third officer rank and is represented by three stars on the shoulder.
- Captain (Sarvan) (سروان): It is the fourth officer rank and the senior of Company Grade officers. The rank is portrayed by four stars on the shoulder.
Field grade officers
- Major (Sargord) (سرگرد): The most junior Field Grade officer, it is portrayed by one rounded star or "ghope" (گوپه).
- Second Colonel (Sarhang dovom) (سرهنگ دوم): It is portrayed by two rounded stars or "ghope" (گوپه).
- Colonel (Sarhang) (سرهنگ): The senior Field Grade officer, it is portrayed by three rounded stars or "ghope" (گوپه).
General officer ranks
- Brigadier General Second Class (Sartip dovom) (سرتيپ۲): It is the lowest General rank. This rank was created after the Islamic revolution of Iran as part of a new modified ranking system. It is portrayed by two crossing wheat plants embracing the emblem of Allah.
- Brigadier General (Sartip) (سرتيپ): It is portrayed by a star and two crossing wheat plants embracing the emblem of Allah.
- Division General (Sarlashkar) (سرلشكر): It is portrayed by two stars and two crossing wheat plants embracing the emblem of Allah. Essentially it has been the highest rank in the army after the Islamic Revolution of Iran. Currently, it is the rank of the heads of the Artesh, Sepah, and the head of Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- General (Sepahbod) (سپهبد): It is portrayed by three stars and two crossing wheat plants embracing the emblem of Allah. This rank was last in use during Iran–Iraq War and has been inactive since the end of the war.
- General of the Army (Arteshbod) (ارتشبد) or Admiral of the Fleet (Daryasalar) (دریاسالار): It is portrayed by four stars and two crossing wheat plants embracing the emblem of Allah. It is the highest military rank during peacetime but has not been conferred since the Iranian Revolution.
- General of Iran (Iranbod) (ایرانبد) or Admiral of the Navy (Daryabod) (دریابد): Historically has been the highest military rank during wartime denoting the commander of all Iranian forces and currently is no longer in use. It is portrayed by five stars and two crossing wheat plants embracing the emblem of Allah. The rank of "Daryabod" (دریابد) was for a period of time being used before the Revolution in the same sense of "Daryasalar" (دریاسالار) but this was changed after Revolution when the new rank of "Daryasalar" (دریاسالار) in its current grade was created.
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Farmandeye setade kole niroohaye mosalah) (فرمانده ستاد کل نیروهای مسلح): It is the highest military post acting as the Chief of Armed Forces General Staff. The post oversees all Commanding Generals of different branches of Iran's armed forces including army, navy, air force, IRGC and other forces. It is not a military rank by itself.
- Commander in Chief (Farmandeye kole ghova) (فرمانده كل قوا) or (Bozorgarteshtaaraan) (بزرگ‌ارتشتاران): It is the highest political command of the armed forces and is not a military rank by itself. This post is reserved for the Supreme Leader of Iran by the Iranian constitution.
Iranian rank insignia equivalents
| US Army equivalent |
Army and Air Forces - نیروی زمینی و هوایی |
Navy Force - در نیروی دریایی |
| Private |
Sarbaz sevom سرباز ۳ (Private Third Class) |
Navi sevom ناوی ۳ |
| Private |
Sarbaz dovom سرباز ۲ (Private Second Class) |
Navi dovom ناوی ۲ |
| Private First Class |
Sarbaz yekom سرباز ۱ (Private First Class) |
Navi yekom ناوی ۱ |
| Corporal |
Sarjukhe سرجوخه [Razm yar رزم یار] (Corporal) |
Sarnavi سرناوی |
| Sergeant |
Gruhban sevom گروهبان ۳ [Razm avar sevom رزم آور سوم] (Sergeant Third Class) |
Mahnavi sevom مهناوی ۳ |
| Sergeant First Class |
Gruhban dovom گروهبان ۲ [Razm avar dovom رزم آور دوم] (Sergeant Second Class) |
Mahnavi dovom مهناوی ۲ |
| Master Sergeant |
Gruhban yekom گروهبان ۱ [Razm avar yekom رزم آور یکم] (Sergeant First Class) |
Mahnavi yekom مهناوی ۱ |
| Senior Master Sergeant |
Sar Gruhban سرگروهبان (Chief Sergeant) (Air Force only) |
No equivalent in Navy Force |
| First Sergeant |
Ostovar dovom استوار ۲ [Razm dar dovom رزم دار دوم] (Sergeant Major Second Class) |
Nav ostovar dovom ناواستوار ۲ |
| Sergeant Major |
Ostovar yekom استوار ۱ [Razm dar yekom رزم دار یکم] (Sergeant Major First Class) |
Nav ostovar yekom ناواستوار ۱ |
| Command Sergeant Major |
Sotvanyar ستوانيار (Assistant Lieutenant) (Grade is currently inactive) |
Navbanyar ناوبانیار (Grade is currently inactive) |
| No US Army equivalent |
Sotvan sevom ستوان ۳ (Third Lieutenant) |
Navban sevom ناوبان ۳ |
| Second Lieutenant |
Sotvan dovom ستوان ۲ (Second Lieutenant) |
Navban dovom ناوبان ۲ |
| First Lieutenant |
Sotvan yekom ستوان ۱ (First Lieutenant) |
Navban yekom ناوبان ۱ |
| Captain |
Sarvan سروان (Captain) |
Nav sarvan ناوسروان |
| Major |
Sargord سرگرد (Major) |
Nakhoda sevom ناخدا سوم |
| Lieutenant Colonel |
Sarhang dovom سرهنگ دوم (Second Colonel) |
Nakhoda dovom ناخدا دوم |
| Colonel |
Sarhang سرهنگ (Colonel) |
Nakhoda yekom ناخدا یکم |
| Brigadier General |
Sartip dovom سرتیپ ۲ (Brigadier General Second Class) |
Daryadar dovom دریادار ۲ |
| Major General |
Sartip سرتیپ (Brigadier General) |
Daryadar دریادار |
| Lieutenant General |
Sarlashkar سرلشگر (Division General) |
Daryaban دریابان |
| General |
Sepahbod سپهبد (General) (Grade is currently inactive) |
Daryasalar dovom دریاسالار دوم (Grade is currently inactive) |
| General of the Army |
Arteshbod ارتشبد (General of the Army) (Grade is currently inactive) |
Daryasalar دریاسالار (Grade is currently inactive) |
| General of the Armies |
Iranbod ایرانبد (General of Iran) (Grade is inactive & needs legislation for re-activation) |
Daryabod دریابد (Grade is inactive & needs legislation for re-activation) |
See also
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