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:

1. 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 سوم up to the rank of Sergeant Major "Ostovar yekom" استوار یکم.
2. Jenaab (جناب): This title is used for officers with official military ranks from that of Sotvan sevom ستوان سوم up to the rank of Colonel "Sarhang" سرهنگ.
3. Amir (امیر) or Timsaar (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 Timsaar (تیمسار) was more extensively used before the Iranian Revolution and after the Revolution the term Amir (امیر) has replaced it, though they both are still interchangeably used.
4. Sardaar (سردار): Its use is the same as for Amir (امیر) or Timsaar (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 سوم): It is the lowest military rank. It is represented by a color bordered blank shoulder strip.
• Private Second Class (Sarbaz dovom) (سرباز دوم): 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 یکم): It is represented by two chevrons.
• Corporal (Sarjukhe) (سرجوخه) ["Razmyar" (رزم‌یار)]: It is represented by three chevrons.
• Sergeant (Goruhban) (گروهبان سوم) ["Razmavar sevom" (رزم‌آور سوم)]: It is represented by a single diamond tipped chevron.
• Sergeant Second Class (Goruhban dovom) (گروهبان دوم) ["Razmavar dovom" (رزم‌آور دوم)]: It is represented by two chevrons diamond tipped at top.
• Sergeant First Class (Goruhban yekom) (گروهبان یکم) ["Razmavar yekom" (رزم‌آور یکم)]: It is represented by three chevrons diamond tipped at top.
• Sergeant Major Second Class (Ostovar dovom) (استوار دوم) ["Razmdar dovom" (رزم‌دار 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 یکم) ["Razmdar yekom" (رزم‌دار 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 "qobbe" (قبه).
• Second Colonel (Sarhang dovom) (سرهنگ دوم): It is portrayed by two rounded stars or "qobbe" (قبه).
• Colonel (Sarhang) (سرهنگ): The senior Field Grade officer, it is portrayed by three rounded stars or "qobbe" (قبه).

General officer ranks

• Brigadier General Second Class (Sartip dovom) (سرتيپ دوم): 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) or Rear Admiral Lower Half (Commodore) (Daryadar yekom) (دریادار یکم): It is portrayed by a star and two crossing wheat plants embracing the emblem of Allah.
• Major General (Sarlashkar) (سرلشكر) or Rear Admiral Upper Half (Daryaban) (دریابان): 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.
• Lieutenant General (Sepahbod) (سپهبد) or Vice Admiral (Daryasalar) (دریاسالار): 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 (Arteshbod) (ارتشبد) or Admiral (Daryabod) (دریابد): 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.
• Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Farmandeye setade kolle niroohaye mosallah) (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 kolle ghova) (فرمانده كل قوا) or (Bozorgarteshtaran) (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 سوم (Private Third Class)	Navi sevom ناوی سوم
Private	Sarbaz dovom سرباز دوم (Private Second Class)	Navi dovom ناوی دوم
Private First Class	Sarbaz yekom سرباز یکم (Private First Class)	Navi yekom ناوی یکم
Corporal	Sarjukhe سرجوخه [Razmyar رزم‌یار] (Corporal)	Sarnavi سرناوی
Sergeant	Goruhban sevom گروهبان سوم [Razm avar sevom رزم‌آور سوم] (Sergeant Third Class)	Mehnavi sevom مهناوی سوم
Sergeant First Class	Goruhban dovom گروهبان دوم [Razm avar dovom رزم‌آور دوم] (Sergeant Second Class)	Mehnavi dovom مهناوی دوم
Master Sergeant	Goruhban yekom گروهبان یکم [Razmavar yekom رزم‌آور یکم] (Sergeant First Class)	Mehnavi yekom مهناوی یکم
Senior Master Sergeant	Sar Goruhban سرگروهبان (Chief Sergeant) (Air Force only)	No equivalent in Navy Force
First Sergeant	Ostovar dovom استوار دوم [Razmdar dovom رزم‌دار دوم] (Sergeant Major Second Class)	Nav ostovar dovom ناواستوار دوم
Sergeant Major	Ostovar yekom استوار یکم [Razmdar yekom رزم‌دار یکم] (Sergeant Major First Class)	Nav ostovar yekom ناواستوار یکم
Command Sergeant Major	Sotvanyar ستوانيار (Assistant Lieutenant) (Grade is currently inactive)	Navbanyar ناوبانیار (Grade is currently inactive)
No US Army equivalent	Sotvan sevom ستوان سوم (Third Lieutenant)	Navban sevom ناوبان سوم
Second Lieutenant	Sotvan dovom ستوان دوم (Second Lieutenant)	Navban dovom ناوبان دوم
First Lieutenant	Sotvan yekom ستوان یکم (First Lieutenant)	Navban yekom ناوبان یکم
Captain	Sarvan سروان (Captain)	Nav sarvan ناوسروان
Major	Sargord سرگرد (Major)	Nakhoda sevom ناخدا سوم [Nav salar sevom ناوسالار سوم]
Lieutenant Colonel	Sarhang dovom سرهنگ دوم (Second Colonel)	Nakhoda dovom ناخدا دوم [Nav salar dovom ناوسالار دوم]
Colonel	Sarhang yekom سرهنگ یکم (First Colonel)	Nakhoda yekom ناخدا یکم [Nav salar yekom ناوسالار یکم]
No US Army equivalent	Sartip dovom سرتیپ دوم (Brigadier General Second Class)	Daryadar dovom دریادار دوم
Brigadier General	Sartip yekom سرتیپ یکم (Brigadier General)	Daryadar yekom دریادار یکم
Major General	Sarlashkar سرلشکر (Divisional General)	Daryaban دریابان
Lieutenant General	Sepahbod سپهبد (Corps General) (Grade is currently inactive)	Daryasalar دریاسالار (Grade is currently inactive)
General	Arteshbod ارتشبد (Army General) (Grade is currently inactive)	Daryabod دریابد (Grade is currently inactive)

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Military ranks of Soviet Union

References

• ويكي پديا - درجه هاي نظامي ايران
• سايت ميليتاري