11.2001 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

ACCORD: The national army has an estimated 540,000 men in active service ("7th European Country of Origin Information Seminar Berlin, 11 - 12 June 2001: Final Report - Iran") [#7661],  [ID 9485]

"The Iranian army comprises mostly conscripts serving a two-year term and has an estimated 540,000 men in active service. The army is known to undertake military operations, conducted in the provinces of Kurdistan (Kordestan) and Western Azerbaijan (Azarbayjan-e Gharbi), against the local Kurdish insurgency."

Document(s): cois2001-irn.pdf

08.12.1997 - Source:

Federation of American Scientists (FAS): J2 Intelligence and Security ("Federation of American Scientists (FAS): J2 Intelligence and Security") [ID 9486]

"The Joint Staff of the armed forces, composed of officers assigned from the various services, the Pasdaran, the National Police, and the Gendarmerie, is responsible for all operational military matters. Its primary tasks included military planning and coordination and operational control over the regular services, combat units of the Pasdaran, and units of the Gendarmerie and National Police assigned to the war front. Joint Staff members are also empowered to integrate fully the regular and paramilitary forces in operational planning. The components of the armed forces Joint Staff were modeled on the United States joint and combined staff system.

Personnel of J2 Intelligence and Security carry out operational control for intelligence planning, intelligence operations, intelligence training, counterintelligence, and security for all elements of the armed forces. They also handle liaison with the komitehs (revolutionary committees) for internal security matters and with MOIS for foreign intelligence."

Document(s): Federation of American Scientists (FAS): J2 Intelligence and Security