Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (Iran) explained

Agency Name:Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics
Formed:22 August 1989
Agency Type:Government ministry
Jurisdiction:Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Employees:Classified
Budget:$1.53 billion (2020–21)
Minister1 Name:General Mohammad-Reza Gharaei Ashtiani
Website:http://www.mod.ir/

The Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL; Persian: وزارت دفاع و پشتیبانی نیروهای مسلح|vezârat-e defa' va poštibâni-ye niruhâ-ye mosallah) is the defence ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran and part of the country's executive branch. It thus reports to the President of Iran, not to the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces.

Unlike many countries, the ministry is not involved with in-the-field military operational command of the armed forces. Instead it is responsible for planning, logistics and funding of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran while the General Staff, a separate institution under command of the supreme leader of Iran, has control over the forces. The MODAFL is also the major player in defense industry of Iran, with multiple conglomerates and subordinates active in research and development, maintenance and manufacturing of military equipment. It annually exports military equipment manufactured in Iran to forces of countries such as Syria, Iraq, Venezuela and Sudan (the latter ceased in 2019), as well as non-state actors like Hezbollah.

The ministry is considered one of the three "sovereign" ministerial bodies of Iran due to nature of its work at home and abroad.[1]

History

1952–53: Reforms under Mossadegh

When Mohammad Mossadegh took over the ministry on 21 July 1952, he initiated a series of reforms in the ministry. He named general Ahmad Vossough as his deputy and renamed the ministry from 'War' to 'National Defense', cut the military budget by 15% and vowed to only purchase defensive military equipment. Two investigatory commissions were formed, one for examining previous promotions and the other for materiel procurement. Under Mossadegh, some 15,000 personnel were transferred from the army to the gendarmerie and 136 officers, including 15 general officers, were purged.[2]

1970s procurement

See also: Project Flower.

1982–89: Two ministries

See also: Ministry of Revolutionary Guards. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had between 1982 and 1989 its own dedicated defence ministry, mirroring the existing ministry of defence which solely supplied the Islamic Republic of Iran Army during this period. Under President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in 1989, the two ministries were merged into one in order to cease parallel work and reduce interservice rivalry.

Subordinates

See also: Defense industry of Iran. Iranian military industry, under the command of Ministry of Defence, is composed of the following main components:[3]

Organization Field of activity
Iran Electronics Industries (SAIRAN) Electronics, communications, e-warfare, radars, satellites, etc.
Defense Industries Organization (SASAD) Tanks, rockets, bombs, guns, armored vehicles, etc.
Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) Guided missiles systems, etc.
Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO)Aircraft, UAV, helicopters, etc.
Marine Industries Organization (MIO) Ships, hovercraft, submarines, etc.
Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND)Defense related research and development.
National Geographical Organization of Iran (NGO) Matters related to military maps, national borders and geographical services required by the Armed Forces.
Malek-Ashtar University of Technology (MUT) The ministry's educational institution
In August 2018, the Iranian Ministry of Defense declared it had unloaded its shares in Wagon Pars and Iran Airtour.[4] In November 2020, the head of the Research and Innovation Organisation of the defence ministry, the nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated in an ambush near Tehran.[5]

Ministers of Defence since 1979 until 2024

|-! colspan="8" align="center" | Minister of National Defence|-! colspan="8" align="center" | Minister of Defence|-! colspan="8" align="center" | Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. News: al Labbad. Mustafa. Rouhani's Cabinet Seeks New Balance in Iranian Policies. 16 August 2013. As Safir. 15 August 2012.
  2. Book: Abrahamian, Ervand. 1982. Iran Between Two Revolutions. 0-691-10134-5. Princeton University Press. 273.
  3. Web site: Iran Electronics Industries (IEI) | Iran Watch . 2015-04-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161122221108/http://www.iranwatch.org/iranian-entities/iran-electronics-industries-iei . 22 November 2016 .
  4. https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-defense-ministry-claims-it-has-divested-from-civilian-business-/29455309.html Iran Defense Ministry Claims It Has Divested From Civilian Businesses
  5. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/27/top-iranian-nuclear-scientist-killed-iran-armed-forces Top Iranian nuclear scientist assassinated near Tehran