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Iran Defense Industries Organization (Iran)
Zolfaghar
An Iranian-produced main battle tank combining a lengthened M60 Patton-style hull with a locally built turret and a 125 mm smoothbore gun compatible with Soviet-pattern ammunition. It represents Iran's longest-running indigenous tank program, with several visually distinct production batches.
In service since 1997
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
65
km/h
450
km range
22
hp/t
125
mm gun
40,000
kg
Pricing: Production totals are commonly cited estimates, not officially disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Sanctioned origin
Under multilateral sanctions; acquisition carries severe legal/financial exposure for most buyers.
Channel: State channel
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 1997. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 65 km/h Stronger than 39% of main battle tanks
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 450 km Stronger than 32% of main battle tanks
- Power-to-weight
Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility.
- 22 hp/t Stronger than 53% of main battle tanks
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 125 mm smoothbore gun
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 125 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 36 Bottom 5% of main battle tanks
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
- Armor
Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.
- Composite armor (claimed), applique steel
- Reactive armor
Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets.
- No
- NBC protection
Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments.
- Yes
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 40,000 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 3
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- V-46-6 diesel (license-pattern)
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 780 hp Stronger than 18% of main battle tanks
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Diesel (tracked)
Specifications compiled from public Defense Industries Organization (Iran) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
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KNDS Leopard 2A7 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar? +
The Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar has a maximum speed of 65 km/h.
What is the range of the Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar? +
The Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar has a maximum range of 450 km.
How much does the Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar weigh? +
The Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar has a combat weight of 40,000 kg.
How many crew does the Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar require? +
The Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar? +
The Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar's primary weapon is the 125 mm smoothbore gun.
What engine does the Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar use? +
The Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar is powered by the V-46-6 diesel (license-pattern).
What is the Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar used for? +
The Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar is a main battle tank typically used for infantry combat.
How much does the Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar cost? +
Defense Industries Organization (Iran) Zolfaghar: Production totals are commonly cited estimates, not officially disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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