The story of 5.56×45mm self-loading rifles in Iran goes back prior to the Revolutionary-era. During the modernization efforts conducted by Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi to improve Iranian Armed Forces Capabilities, numerous 5.56×45mm rifles were tested. Among these rifles that are documented and tested by Iranians were FN CAL and AR-18 assault rifles. But the program didn’t adopt a new rifle and it ceased when Islamic Revolution occurred in 1978. In this article we will examine the history of Iran’s 5.56×45mm rifles.
DIO
A Review of Iran’s Defense Industries Organization (DIO) Latest Products: Part Two
In this second part of our series looking at the Iranian Defense Industries Organization (DIO)’s current offerings we will examine AR-15 pattern rifles, precision rifles, and machine guns. In the first part of this series we examined the origins of Persian and Iranian small arms manufacturing and explored some of the DIO’s submachine guns and rifle offerings.
A Review of the Latest Products from Iran’s Defense Industries Organization (DIO) – Part One
In this first part of a series looking at Iran’s Defense Industries Organization (DIO) and its products we examine some of the DIO’s submachine guns and rifles.
Iran Unveils New 7.62×51mm MASAF Series Rifle
The state Defence Industries Organisation (DIO) of Iran recently unveiled a new 7.62×51mm self-loading ‘battle rifle’. This is an addition to Iran’s MASAF series of rifles which first emerged in 2016. The first variant of the MASAF was chambered in the NATO 5.56×45mm cartridge. The new rifle was unveiled at the 13th Hazrat Ali Akbar Soldier Young Festival in Tehran, Brigadier General Amir Hatami, Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Support, attended the unveiling of the weapons.
A Closer Look at Iran’s Barrett M107 Copy, the Hoveizeh
IPAS 2017 in Iran brought with it the introduction of the .50 BMG Hoveizeh anti-material rifle. Thanks in part to a popular Iranian Telegram channel we’re able to take a much closer look at the rifle and exactly what the Defense Industries Organization duplicated, and what was added. From what we can tell, the general layout and operating mechanism of the U.S. Barrett M107 was copied, but some of the exterior features of the weapon weren’t. One difference was the magazine which appears to be a polymer shell held together with screws, not unlike some Airsoft designs.
In this photograph the barrel bushing has an extra pin protruding from it that we don’t know the purpose of yet. Notice what appears to be a hex screw holding the upper frame to the receiver. In addition notice the flutes down the barrel.
The sling swivel appears to be on a sliding arrangement where a user might be able to loosen the screws of the swivel and tighten them back down where it fits the best. However, the monopod and rear gripping surface looks to be stationary with the three screws anchoring it to the receiver of the rifle. 
Notice the different bipods mounted on the rifle in the leaflet compared with the bipods mounted at the defense exhibition
A point of controversy lies in the name of the rifle itself. The majority of online material, show leaflets, and even abbreviated on the rifle itself on the magazine well is هویزه, however in this leaflet we clearly see the name, فائز printed next to the rifle.