Iran Military Bases & Installations

OSINT intelligence database · Source: Open-source analysis · Verified 2025

13
Total Bases
7
Air Bases
1
Naval Bases
5
Military
AIR BASES & AIR FORCE INSTALLATIONS (7)
Dezful Air Base (3rd Tactical Air Base)
Air Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRIAF 3rd Tactical Air Base
Personnel
4,000 est.
Established
1968
Garrison: F-14A Tomcat (12), Mirage F1 (refurbished), Su-24MK
Iran's most operationally capable base. F-14 Tomcat (AWG-9/AIM-54 degraded). Khuzestan proximity. Iraq border.
Strategic: Iran maintains ~12 F-14 Tomcat — unique capability. AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 Phoenix largely non-functional but platform retained.
Oghab 44 Underground Air Base
Air Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRIAF / classified
Personnel
1,000 est.
Established
2023
Garrison: F-4 Phantom II squadron, underground hangars, Su-35 preparation (suspected)
First confirmed IRIAF underground base. Unveiled Feb 2023. Tunnels protect aircraft from precision strike.
Strategic: Designed to survive Israeli/US precision strike. 120km NW Bandar Abbas. Hormoz Province. Direct response to US/Israeli threat.
TAB 1 — Tehran-Mehrabad (IRIAF HQ)
Air Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRIAF HQ / 1st TAB
Personnel
6,000 est.
Established
1938
Garrison: IRIAF HQ, F-14A Tomcat, F-4D/E, Su-24MK, F-5E/F — mixed legacy fleet
IRIAF command. F-14A (12 airworthy est.). F-4D/E. Mixed US/Soviet/Chinese platform. Capital defence.
Strategic: F-14 maintained through reverse engineering — unique globally. AWG-9 radar degraded but F-14 airframe impressive. Su-35 acquisition planned.
TAB 4 — Vahdati Air Base (Dezful)
Air Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRIAF 4th TAB — 41st/42nd/43rd Fighter Sqns
Personnel
3,000 est.
Established
1968
Garrison: 41st/42nd/43rd Sqns — F-5E/F Tiger II, hardened aircraft shelters
F-5E/F. Khuzestan. Iraq border (operational during 1980-88 war). Hardened shelters. Basra 150km.
Strategic: Iraq border front-line base. 1980-88 War heavily contested. F-5 fleet ageing but numerous — 60+ in service.
TAB 7 — Shiraz Air Base
Air Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRIAF 7th TAB
Personnel
3,000 est.
Established
1955
Garrison: F-7M, MiG-29A/UB, Su-25K — southern defence
Southern Iran air defence. MiG-29A/UB intercept. Su-25K ground attack. Persian Gulf approaches.
Strategic: MiG-29 acquired from Russia post-sanctions. Su-25K from former Soviet republics. Southern Iran power projection.
TAB 8 — Hamadan (Shahrokhi)
Air Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRIAF 8th TAB
Personnel
3,000 est.
Established
1939
Garrison: F-4D/E Phantom II, Su-24MK — western frontier
Western frontier air defence. F-4D/E strike. Su-24MK deep strike. Iraq/Turkey/Israel axis. Kurdish border.
Strategic: Su-24MK launched strikes on Iranian Kurdish opposition in Iraq. Russian bombers briefly deployed here 2016 — first time in 75 years.
Tabriz Air Base (2nd Tactical Air Base)
Air Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRIAF 2nd Tactical Air Base
Personnel
3,000 est.
Established
1962
Garrison: F-5E/F Tiger II, Su-25 (acquired from Ukraine), drone base
Northwest Iran air defence. Armenia/Azerbaijan border. Su-25 acquired from Soviet inventory. Drone operations.
Strategic: Azerbaijan-Armenia border proximity. IRGC Shahed drone staging area nearby. Su-25 close air support.
NAVAL BASES & MARITIME INSTALLATIONS (1)
Bandar Abbas Naval Base
Naval Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRIN / IRGCN
Personnel
8,000 est.
Established
1979
Garrison: IRIN main fleet, IRGCN fast boats, Kilo-class SSK, Fateh-class SSK
Strait of Hormuz chokepoint. IRGCN swarm tactics. Mine-laying capacity. Anti-ship missiles. 20% global oil flow interdiction.
Strategic: Controls Strait of Hormuz. IRGCN seized tankers. Iran can close Hormuz threatening 20% global oil supply.
ARMY BASES, COMMANDS & STRATEGIC FACILITIES (5)
Abu Musa Island Military Base
Army Base
Location
Iran (disputed UAE)
Operator
IRGCN / IRIAF
Personnel
1,500 est.
Established
1971
Garrison: IRGCN fast boat swarms, shore-based missiles, Ghader anti-ship missiles, UAV ops
Strait of Hormuz control. Anti-ship missiles. IRGCN fast boats. UAE territorial dispute. Tanker interdiction.
Strategic: Iran seized island from UAE 1971. Controls Hormuz western approach. Ghader ASCM threatens Gulf shipping.
Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant
Nuclear Facility
Location
Iran
Operator
AEOI / IRGC
Personnel
1,000 est.
Established
2007
Garrison: IR-6 centrifuges, 60% HEU enrichment
Buried 80m underground in mountain. Near-weapons-grade 60% enrichment. Hardened against conventional bunker busters.
Strategic: IAEA confirmed 60% HEU. Buried depth may exceed GBU-57 MOP penetration — limits US/Israel military strike options.
IRGC Aerospace Force Base (Emam Ali)
Missile Base
Location
Iran
Operator
IRGC Aerospace Force
Personnel
15,000 est.
Established
1989
Garrison: Ballistic missile corps: Shahab-3, Sejjil-2, Ghader, Fateh-110, Zolfaghar, Fattah hypersonic
IRGC missile force 3,000+ missiles. Fattah hypersonic (Mach 13-15). Shahab-3 MRBM (2,000km). Direct strike Israel/US bases.
Strategic: 180+ missiles fired at Israel Oct 2024 — largest single ballistic missile attack in history. Fattah hypersonic potentially evades Iron Dome.
IRGC Aerospace Force HQ
Command HQ
Location
Iran
Operator
IRGC Aerospace Force
Personnel
15,000 est.
Established
1979
Garrison: IRGC Aerospace Force, ballistic missile corps, drone force, space launch
Ballistic missile arsenal 3,000+. Hypersonic development. Drone force (Shahed). Space launch. Nuclear programme integration.
Strategic: Fired 180+ ballistic missiles at Israel Oct 2024. Largest single missile attack in history. Nuclear enrichment at 60%.
Natanz Enrichment Facility
Nuclear Facility
Location
Iran
Operator
AEOI / IRGC protective units
Personnel
3,000 est.
Established
2000
Garrison: IR-6 centrifuge halls, 60% HEU enrichment, deeply buried 8m underground
Primary Iranian uranium enrichment. IR-6 centrifuges 10x faster than IR-1. 60% HEU (near weapons-grade). Deeply buried.
Strategic: 2024 Israeli strikes on Iran specifically avoided Natanz — indicates Israel deterred from striking hardened nuclear site. US GBU-57 MOP may be needed.

Interactive Intelligence Map

View all Iran military installations on StratWatch's live geopolitical intelligence platform alongside real-time events, cyber threats and strategic signals.

Open Intelligence Map →