TEHRAN – Earlier this year, the Iranian Army's ground forces (Artesh) garnered attention with sophisticated and large-scale military maneuvers in northeastern Iran.

The multi-day drills simulated repelling attacks from both conventional military forces and terrorist infiltrations, showcasing the skills of Iranian troops and the capabilities of domestically produced weaponry.

Weeks later, the Army Ground Force received a new shipment of domestically manufactured weaponry, touted as a transformative upgrade. In an interview with the Tehran Times, Second Brigadier General Gholamhossein Soleimani, deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics, stated that this modernization effort is ongoing and will encompass all units in the near future.

Below is the full text of the interview:

Recent reports indicate that the Army Ground Force has received new semi-heavy, heavy, and ultra-heavy equipment. Could you elaborate on the nature of this delivery?

In a 2016 directive, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, emphasized the importance of mobility for the Army Ground Forces while appointing Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari, saying, “We expect commendable efforts to enhance the mobility and efficiency of units according to operational needs.”

Subsequently, the Logistics and Support Department prioritized enhancing the mobility of rapid reaction units across the Ground Forces' seven operational zones. This involved focusing on upgrading to heavy, semi-heavy, super-heavy, and light tactical equipment.

During a ceremony on February 27, 2025, led by Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the Deputy Chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination, a significant amount of defense equipment was added to the Ground Forces. This included a variety of heavy-duty vehicles, semi-heavy trucks, light tactical vehicles, and super-heavy vehicles, as well as various weapons, ammunition, communication devices, and modern warfare gear. Significantly, the Logistics and Support Department has conducted multiple phases of equipment additions in 2024, in line with its mission.

What features distinguish the Masaf weapon, now the standard weapon for the Army, from its foreign counterparts?

The Masaf individual weapon has been designed and manufactured according to the latest global defense standards, incorporating operational experience from Ground Forces personnel and world-class technical expertise. It is an entirely domestically produced weapon designed to meet all the needs of a combatant on the battlefield and rival its international peers.

The Masaf achieves comparable shooting accuracy, size, weight, and performance to similar weapons, while offering significant improvements over the older G3, including an effective range of 3,500 meters. Its design is based on an analysis of regional conflicts and diverse climatic conditions to optimally suit a soldier's needs.

Regarding maintenance and combat readiness, the Masaf was specifically designed to address limitations of previous models in Iran's diverse climatic conditions.

Key features of the Masaf weapon include:

-   Reduced weight

-  Ergonomic design tailored to a combatant's body

- Picatinny rail integration

- Enhanced shooting accuracy

-   Improved performance

-  Increased weapon lifespan

What policies guide the Army's approach to acquiring and developing new equipment? Will this area receive greater emphasis in the coming year?

Following the recent restructuring of Ground Forces units, there's a recognized need to replace all the other outdated and inefficient equipment with modern, effective, and highly capable gear appropriate for the new organizational structure.

Therefore, the Ground Forces are actively working to equip maneuver units aligned with rapid reaction structures with new capabilities characterized by: precision shooting, smart long-range capabilities, automation, and network-centric operations.

The Ground Forces are committed to continuing this policy of modernization by adding equipment that embodies these four characteristics until all legacy equipment has been fully replaced with new technology.