According to a Financial Times investigation that analyzed over 300 articles published in Iranian military journals, Tehran has meticulously studied the Ukrainian conflict to modernize its forces. Drones, cyberwar, artificial intelligence: the publications reveal the priorities and weaknesses of a military apparatus that is now aging.
Since February 28th, Iran has been facing technologically superior adversaries, prompting Iranian commanders to seek inspiration from Ukrainian tactics, particularly in drones, mobile warfare, and integrating artificial intelligence. The Financial Times review focused on over 300 articles from the past five years in a dozen Iranian defense publications linked to the main staff colleges of the Revolutionary Guards or regular armed forces. The authors are high-ranking commanders, ambitious officers, and academics tasked with evaluating strategic threats Iran faces.
These texts show that Tehran has drawn lessons from Ukraine on drones, resilient arms production, and the use of technologies like 3D printing. They reflect an effort to modernize cyber warfare capabilities and integrate AI into decision-making and attack processes. The Russo-Ukrainian conflict features prominently. “The Russia-Ukraine war has been one of the cases we have closely examined,” confirmed Iranian commander Hossein Dadvand in a rare interview, referring to the updating of training manuals.
The journals also reveal internal concerns. Generals Kioumars Heydari and Abdolali Pourshasb, both former Iranian military leaders, expressed concern as early as 2023 about inadequate planning against “emerging threats.” They advocated for recruiting specialists and acquiring advanced technologies like drones, lasers, and space platforms.
Former Air Force chief and current Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, who survived the Israeli-American strikes on February 28th, co-authored an article advocating for the purchase of Russian Su-35s to rebuild a neglected fleet of fighter jets, while also recommending the use of suicide drones and AI integration in targeting. The acquisition of Su-35s has reportedly sparked tensions within the branches of the military.
Beyond strategy, some unexpected articles document the daily life of the Iranian military: failing military hospitals, ethnic and social discrimination in academies, suicide prevention among soldiers, and efforts to combat involvement in “deviant sects.” “These journals offer a window into the daily life of the Iranian military,” observed Michael Connell, a former US intelligence officer cited by the FT.
Farzin Nadimi, an expert at the Washington Institute, criticizes the often methodologically weak strategic analyses, deeming the conclusions “null,” but also acknowledges that even mediocre articles shed light on the mindset of officers, often influenced by an ideology that perceives Washington as weakened and the Middle East as a terrain to reshape.
