The following is a description of Iranian military ranks and their insignias:
Enlisted grade personnel[]
Private (Sarbāz) (سرباز): It is the lowest military rank. It is represented by a color bordered blank shoulder strip.
Private Second Class (Sarbāz 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 (Sarbāz yekom) (سرباز یکم): It is represented by two chevrons.
Corporal (Sarjukhe) (سرجوخه) ["Razmyār" (رزمیار)]: It is represented by three chevrons.
Sergeant (Goruhbān) (گروهبان سوم) ["Razmāvar sevom" (رزمآور سوم)]: It is represented by a single diamond tipped chevron.
Staff Sergeant (Goruhbān dovom) (گروهبان دوم) ["Razmāvar dovom" (رزمآور دوم)]: It is represented by two chevrons diamond tipped at top.
Sergeant First Class (Goruhbān yekom) (گروهبان یکم) ["Razmāvar yekom" (رزمآور یکم)]: It is represented by three chevrons diamond tipped at top.
Sergeant Major Second Class (Ostovār dovom) (استوار دوم) ["Razmdār 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 (Ostovār yekom) (استوار یکم) ["Razmdār 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 (Sotvān 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 (Sotvān dovom) (ستوان دوم): It is the second most junior officer rank and is represented by two stars on the shoulder.
First Lieutenant (Sotvān yekom) (ستوان يكم): It is the third officer rank and is represented by three stars on the shoulder.
Captain (Sarvān) (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[]
General officer and flag officer ranks[]
Brigadier General Second Class (Sartip dovom) (سرتيپ دوم) or Flotilla Admiral (Vice Commodore) (Daryādār dovom) (دریادار 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) (Daryādār) (دریادار): 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 (Daryābān) (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 (Daryāsālār) (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 (Daryābod) (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 (Farmāndehe setāde kolle niroohāye 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 (Farmāndehe kolle ghovā) (فرمانده كل قوا) or (Bozorgarteshtārān) (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.