Conscript
During the eight-year Iran–Iraq War, approximately 5.3 million conscripts and Basij members served in Iran’s armed forces, of whom 59,375 were martyred.
Mandatory military service, or conscription, became widespread during the Napoleonic era in the 18th century. Governments, in need of a free manpower pool for military purposes alongside the formation of modern armies, established laws for mandatory military service.[1]
Currently, out of 197 countries worldwide, 109 have ended conscription and maintain professional armies; 29 countries have mandatory service of less than one year; 8 countries do not use conscripts for armed military duties; 10 countries have voluntary conscription; and 15 countries employ a combination of volunteer and compulsory service.[2]
The history of compulsory military service in Iran dates back to 1922, when the need for manpower in the army became a focus. In 1925, the National Assembly passed the Conscription Law,[3] which led to the increasing of the army personnel to 80,000 by 1930.[4] By 1978, the number had risen to 415,000 active conscripts, with an additional 300,000 in the reserve.[5]
According to Article 5 of the Disciplinary Regulations, all male citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran who are obligated to perform public military service under the law are called “conscripts” from the moment they enter service.[6] Article 4 of the Public Conscription Law sets the total service period at 30 years, divided into the mandatory service period (2 years), active-reserve period (8 years), and two subsequent reserve stages (each 10 years). During the mandatory service period, if the number of conscripts exceeds needs, the General Staff of the Armed Forces may reduce service to 18 months. The start and end of the active-reserve and subsequent reserve stages are calculated from the completion date of mandatory service. The second reserve stage may not extend beyond age 50, but in cases of emergency or general mobilization, conscripts may be called up until age 60.[7]
After the Islamic Revolution, the Council of the Revolution passed a law on March 2, 1979, based on which mandatory service was reduced from two years to one year.[8] On July 12, 1979, however, the council extended service to 18 months.[9]
On September 21, 1980, by order of the Armed Forces Command, the conscripts whose service had expired in 1977–1978 were recalled,[10] along with some who had completed service between 1973–1978. In total, 85,000 conscripts, after two weeks of military training, were assigned across various army units to defend the country.[11]
In November 1982, to organize and deploy active-reserve conscripts, a Temporary Quds Reserve Headquarters was established within the Iranian Army Ground Force. By July 1983, it was upgraded to the Quds Temporary Reserve Directorate and, by March 1984, became the Iranian Army Ground Force Reserve Directorate. In June 1984, the Iranian Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie, and Police were required to send part of their conscript quota to the Army Ground Force to be organized into Quds reserve battalions.[12]
With the addition of a six-month active-reserve period to the mandatory service, the total time a person served in mandatory plus reserve periods increased to 24 months. This enabled the conscripts who had served behind the frontlines to serve in the active-reserve phase at the front within Quds battalions.[13] Some conscripts continued to serve voluntarily in Quds battalions months after completing their official service.[14]
More than 80 percent of the structure of Army units, especially in the Ground Force, was made up of conscripts. They played a pivotal role in combat missions, particularly in the Army during the Iran–Iraq War. In total, 2.5 million conscripts served in the Army, with an average of 20 months at the frontlines.[15]
Until January 23, 1983, part of the national conscription quota was allocated to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by the Gendarmerie, which was in charge of the draft system in Iran. From that point on, the IRGC itself became officially responsible for registering conscripts.[16]
The use of conscripts in IRGC operations increased, for instance, during Operation Karbala 5, where, alongside 30,000 IRGC forces and 120,000 Basij members, 65,000 conscripts also participated.[17]
During Iraq’s large-scale attacks in July 1988, 17,000 against Iranian positions on multiple fronts, around 17,000 Army soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers were taken prisoners.[18]
Throughout the Iran–Iraq War, over 5.3 million conscripts were deployed to the frontlines.[19] During the conflict, 36,965 conscripts serving in the Army, 5,672 in the Gendarmerie, Revolutionary Committees, and police, and 16,738 in the IRGC were martyred,[20] and many were wounded.[21]
Following the launch of the National Literacy Movement, literacy programs were introduced for conscripts,[22] with officers and non-commissioned officers helping to eliminate illiteracy among soldiers.[23]
After the end of the Iran–Iraq War, literacy programs continued within military and law‑enforcement units. From 1989 to September 2020, a total of 546,071 conscripts successfully completed these courses.[24]
After the end of the war, the issue of active-reserve forces (soldiers) and the formation of reserve battalions remained a priority for the Iranian Army Ground Force.[25] The call-up of active-reserve and reserve soldiers is conducted to renew or supplement military training, assess readiness, form reserve units, or reorganize them with the approval of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and in coordination with the Army and IRGC.[26]
References:
- [1] Riazi, Vahid, Tahlili bar Sarbaz-e Herfei dar Ayande-ye Sazman-e Nezami-ye Iran (Analysis of the Professional Conscripts in the Future of Iran’s Military Organization), Faslname-ye Elmi-ye Motaleat-e Defa Muqaddas, No. 24, Zemestan 1399, p. 142.
- [2] Ibid., p. 143.
- [3] Ariabakhshesh, Yahya, Nezam-e Ejbari (The Mandatory Service), Faslname-ye Motaleat-e Tarikhi, No. 25, Tabestan 1388, Pp. 46-47.
- [4] Halliday, Fred, Diktatori va Tosee-ye Sarmayedari dar Iran (Dictatorship and Capitalist Development in Iran), Trans. Fazlollah Nik-Ayeen, Tehran, Amir Kabir, 1358, p. 74.
- [5] Darvishi, Farhad va Goruh-e Nevisandegan, Tajziye va Tahlil-e Jang-e Iran va Araq – Rishehha-ye Tahajom (Analysis of the Iran-Iraq War – Roots of the Invasion), Vol. 1, Tehran, Markaz-e Motaleat va Tahqiqat-e Jang, 1378, p. 93.
- [6] Rostami, Mahmoud, Farhang-e Vajehha-ye Nezami (Dictionary of Military Terms), Tehran, Setad-e Moshtarak-e Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran, 2nd ed., 1386, p. 492.
- [7] Mahname-ye Saf, Qodrat-e Penhan (Hidden Power), No. 343, Ordibehesht 1388, p. 22.
- [8] Doroudian, Muhammad, Naqabi bar Darsha va Dastavardha-ye Jang (A Look at the Lessons and Achievements of the War), Tehran, Markaz-e Asnad va Tahqiqat-e Defa Muqaddas, 1401, p. 280.
- [9] Ibid.
- [10] Sazman-e Aqidati-e Siasi-ye Artesh, Elamiehha-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami Iran dar Hasht Sal Defa Muqaddas (Statements of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army During the Eight Years of the Sacred Defense), Vol. 1, Tehran, Entesharat-e Sazman-e Aqidati-e Siasi-e AJA, 1394, p. 20.
- [11] Hussaini, Seyyed Nasser, Sabeqe-ye Niru-ye Ehtiyat va Zakhire dar Iran (History of the Active-Reserve and Reserve Forces in Iran), Faslname-ye Oloum va Fonoun-e Nezami, No. 12, Paeez va Zemestan 1387, p. 66; Goruh-e Nevisandegan, Yeganha-ye Jaygozin va Ehtiyat (Active-Reserve and Reserve Units), Vol. 2, Tehran, Heyat-e Maaref-e Jang-e Shahid Sepahbod Ali Sayyad Shirazi, n.d., p. 4.
- [12] Sadeqi-Gouya, Nejat-Ali, Chegooneh Mijangidim – Revayat va Nokat-e Mostanad az Farmande-ye Lashkar-e Amaliati-ye 48 Khoramabad dar Sal-e Sheshom-e Jang-e Tahmili (How We Fought – Narrative and Documented Points from the Commander of the 48th Operational Division in Khoramabad during the Sixth Year of the Imposed War), Tehran, Iran Sabz, 1394, p. 133.
- [13] Hussaini, Seyyed Nasser, Ibid., p. 67.
- [14] Marzbani, Ali-Akbar, Naqsh-e Sarbazan dar Defa Muqaddas (Role of Conscripts in the Sacred Defense), Khabargozari-e Defa Muqaddas, 6 Tir 1402, www.defapress.ir/fa/news/598870
- [15] Taqianpour, Abbas, Sayehha-ye Noor (Shadows of Light), Tehran, Iran Sabz, 1393, p. 58.
- [16] Alameyan, Saeed, Baraye Tarikh Miguyam (Khaterat-e Mohsen Rafiqdoost: 1357-1368) (I Speak for History – Memoirs of Mohsen Rafiqdoost 1978-1989), Vol. 1, Soreh Mehr, 1392, p. 240.
- [17] Zarezadeh, Nader, Sazman-e Razm va Sheddat-e Dargiri dar Amaliat-e Karbala 5 (Combat Organization and Intensity in Operation Karbala 5), Faslname-ye Negin-e Iran, No. 47, Zemestan 1392, p. 166.
- [18] Alaei, Hussain, Ravand-e Jang-e Iran va Araq, (The Course of the Iran-Iraq War), Vol. 2, Tehran, Marz va Boom, 1391, Pp. 455-456.
- [19] Bashgah-e Khabarnegaran-e Javan, Shahadat 60,000 Sarbaz dar Defa Muqaddas / Ersal 5.3 Million Sarbaz be Jang-e Tahmili (60,000 Soldiers Were Martyred During the Sacred Defense / 5.3 Million Conscripts Were Sent to the Imposed War), 7 Mehr 1401, www.yjc.ir/fa/news/8248902
- [20] Khabargozari-e Fars, Nagofteha-ye Jang-e Tahmili / az Tedad-e Shohada ta Estedad-e Qova (Untold of the Imposed War / From Number of Martyrs to Forces’ Strength), https://farsnews.ir/Provinces/163231
- [21] Khabarogozari-e Fash, Paygah-e Tahlili-ye Farhangi-ye Eisar va Shahadat, Akharin Amaar-e Shohada-ye Sarbaz dar Defa Muqaddas (Latest Statistics of Conscript Martyrs in the Sacred Defense), https://fashnews.ir/81847
- [22] Saleh, Elham, Jahad-e Savad-Amozi (Literacy Jihad), Markaz-e Motaleat va Tahqiqat-e Farhang va Adab-e Paydari, www.22bahman.ir/show.php?page=post&id=18938
- [23] Farrokhi, Abbas, Khat-e Tamas-e Gordan-e 174 (Contact Line of the 174th Battalion), Tehran, Entesharat-e Daneshgah-e Afsari Imam Ali (as), 1396, Pp. 134-135.
- [24] Khabargozari-e Pana, Amuzesh-e Sarbazan-e Bisavad va Kamsavad dar Markazha-ye Nezami va Entezami (Training Illiterate and Semi-Literate Conscripts in Military and Police Centers), www.pana.ir/news/1122795
- [25] Rooznameh-ye Donya-ye Eqtesad, Tashkil-e Gordanha-ye Ehtiyat-e Khedmat-e Nezam-Vazifeh dar Tehran, Kermanshah va Ahvaz (Formation of the Active-Reserve Battalions in Tehran, Kermanshah, and Ahvaz), https://donya-e-eqtesad.com/%D-64/625844-
- [26] Mahname-ye Saf, Ibid., p. 22.
