The eight-year Sacred Defense was more than just a military conflict; it successfully tested Iran’s national economy and industrial capabilities. Comprehensive sanctions, blocked equipment supply routes, and structural pressures on the economy compelled the Islamic Republic of Iran to devise a comprehensive strategy for a “war economy” and move towards defensive self-sufficiency. This period transformed threats into opportunities, establishing a fundamental and lasting path.
According to Jadeh Makhsoos Information Base, this strategy, rooted in Iran’s defense-security doctrine, was not merely a temporary reaction. At the war’s outset, Iran faced severe shortages of weapons, ammunition, and advanced equipment. Most industrial infrastructures, due to foreign dependence, could not meet defense needs. The nation immediately prioritized utilizing internal capacities, rebuilding existing industries, and creating new production lines for vital areas, from bullets to fast boats.
The “economic dimension of war” based itself on the principle of optimal and fair resource allocation. Reducing unnecessary costs, mobilizing small and large industries, and leveraging the expertise of universities and technical centers enabled the country. Iran quickly gained the ability to produce various light and semi-heavy equipment.
Local workshops and popular initiatives played a crucial role in repairing equipment and designing new defense tools. This became part of the “people-based defense industry” that formed the backbone of the war economy. Sanctions pressure also led to the formation of a network for supplying defense needs both inside and outside the country. This network imported vital items through smart defense diplomacy and complex commercial activities.
Jadeh Makhsoos reports that this intelligent combination of internal initiative and external solutions not only prevented the collapse of Iran’s defense capability but also strengthened it. The war economy experience directly shaped the development of modern defense industries in later years. Today, Iran has achieved relative or complete defensive self-sufficiency in many military and defense areas. These policies from the difficult early war days established this capability.
The war economy and defensive self-sufficiency during the Sacred Defense proved that relying on internal capacities, combined with intelligent resource management and inter-sector networking, can preserve national security. This holds true even under the harshest sanctions. Today, this experience serves as a practical and cultural model for confronting economic warfare and complex sanctions. Sustaining defensive self-sufficiency not only supports the country’s deterrent power but also guarantees political independence and lasting security.