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What does the name Eftekhar mean?

Eftekhar is a word from the Persian language. It translates to mean honor or glory. This name was chosen to celebrate soldiers who performed their duties with pride.

What metal grades did this medal use?

The medal was created in three different grades. These grades were gold, silver, and bronze. Each grade helped show the different levels of service and hard work done by the soldier.

Who was eligible for this award?

This award was open to many people in the armed forces. Enlisted soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and higher-ranking officers could all earn it. They had to show true loyalty and do their jobs well to get one.

When was it phased out?

The medal was used from 1938 until the late 1970s. After the Iranian Revolution happened in 1979, the medal was officially retired. It is no longer given out during state ceremonies today.

Was it a medal or a ribbon badge?

This award was designed as a hanging circular medal. It was attached to a special ribbon bar. Soldiers wore it on their dress uniforms during important parades and national holidays.

What does the name Eftekhar mean?

Eftekhar is a word from the Persian language. It translates to mean honor or glory. This name was chosen to celebrate soldiers who performed their duties with pride.

What metal grades did this medal use?

The medal was created in three different grades. These grades were gold, silver, and bronze. Each grade helped show the different levels of service and hard work done by the soldier.

Who was eligible for this award?

This award was open to many people in the armed forces. Enlisted soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and higher-ranking officers could all earn it. They had to show true loyalty and do their jobs well to get one.

When was it phased out?

The medal was used from 1938 until the late 1970s. After the Iranian Revolution happened in 1979, the medal was officially retired. It is no longer given out during state ceremonies today.

Was it a medal or a ribbon badge?

This award was designed as a hanging circular medal. It was attached to a special ribbon bar. Soldiers wore it on their dress uniforms during important parades and national holidays.

Home Library IranMedal of Eftekhar

Service medal

Medal of Eftekhar

The Medal of Eftekhar was an honor given to soldiers and units for honorable military performance.

Iran Established 1938 All servicesPrecedence: Mid-tier decoration in the Imperial awards system

Medals & Awards

Awarded For

Awarded for honorable service, devotion to duty, and meritorious acts in the line of military obligation.

Eligibility

Enlisted soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers of the armed forces.

Branch

All services

Precedence

Mid-tier decoration in the Imperial awards system

Medal of Eftekhar, Service medal, Iran medal

History

Instituted in the late 1930s, the Medal of Eftekhar, or Medal of Honor, was created to celebrate honorable duty among soldiers and airmen. It offered a standard decoration for acts of loyal defense that did not meet the threshold of supreme valor.

The medal was minted in gold, silver, and bronze grades. Recipient soldiers proudly displayed it on ceremonial service dress during parades and national holidays.

Following the 1979 revolution, the medal was formally retired from state ceremonies. It remains an important symbol of the professionalization of Iran's armed forces in the mid-20th century.

Frequently Asked Questions

Used In

Azerbaijan Crisis of 1946Dhofar Rebellion

Veterans Who Received This Award

Realistic illustration of the military medals and badges awarded to Mohammad-Hossein Ayrom, including Azerbaijan Campaign Medal 1946, Order of Sepah, Order of Military Merit, Medal of Eftekhar, Order of Danesh, shown against a light Iran flag background. AI-generated illustration, not an authentic photograph.

WWII

Azerbaijan Campaign Medal 1946 Order of Sepah Order of Military Merit+2

Mohammad-Hossein Ayrom

Who Was Mohammad-Hossein Ayrom?

A senior general in the Imperial Iranian Army during the mid-20th century.

Iran1946-01-01

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Sources

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