Early History Iran has long been a source of international conflict between Russia and the West, predating even the name Iran. “Persia,” as it was then known, was a source of conflict between Russia and England in the 1700s, as both countries expanded their reach through colonization.

Pakistan has been ranked as the ninth strongest military globally in the latest assessment by the Global Firepower Index. Meanwhile, Iran holds the 14th position in the same index. Pakistan boasts a formidable military, comprising its army, air force, and navy.

Iran's military is viewed as one of the strongest in the region in terms of equipment, cohesion, experience and quality of personnel, but it lags far behind the power and sophistication of the armed forces of the United States, Israel and some European countries, experts said. Iran's greatest weakness is its air force.