Armed forces growth

-16

[89th of 132]

Armed forces personnel

513,000

[8th of 166]

Arms exports > constant 1990 US$

1,000,000 constant 1990 US$

[42nd of 45]

Arms imports > constant 1990 US$

403,000,000 constant 1990 US$

[17th of 100]

Branches
Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force of the Military of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Niru-ye Hava'i-ye Artesh-e Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran; includes air defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty > Signatures and Ratifications > Signature

24 SEP 1996

Conscription
Conscription exists (AI).

Conventional arms exports

$1,000,000.00

[37th of 40]

Conventional arms exports (per $ GDP)

0.002 per $1,000

[40th of 40]

Conventional arms imports

$283,000,000.00

[18th of 85]

Conventional arms imports (per $ GDP)

0.548 per $1,000

[35th of 85]

Employment in arms production

40,000

[16th of 56]

expenditure > % of central government expenditure

21.74 %

[4th of 88]

expenditure > % of GDP

4.46 %

[9th of 145]

expenditure > current LCU

75954000000000

Expenditures

2.5 % of GDP

[36th of 87]

Expenditures > Dollar figure

$4,300,000,000.00

[19th of 111]

Expenditures > Dollar figure (per $ GDP)

$31.76 per 1,000 $ of GDP

[20th of 111]

Expenditures > Percent of GDP

2.5%

[40th of 154]

Iraq pledges of reconstruction aid

$10,000,000.00

[20th of 40]

Iraq pledges of reconstruction aid (per $ GDP)

$6.15 per $100,000 of GDP

[20th of 40]

Iraqi insurgency > Foreign fighter nationality distribution > Sorted alphabeticallyality

13

[6th of 25]

Manpower > Availability > Females

19,638,751

[14th of 162]

Manpower > Availability > Males

20,212,275

[16th of 210]

Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49

20,343,100

[15th of 175]

Manpower > Availability > Males age 15-49

20,937,348

[14th of 175]

Manpower > Fit for military service > Females

16,928,226

[14th of 162]

Manpower > Fit for military service > Males

17,416,126

[15th of 210]

Manpower > Fit for military service > Males age 15-49

12,434,810

[15th of 174]

Manpower > Fit for military service > Males age 15-49

12,094,600

[17th of 174]

Manpower > Military age

21 years of age

Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Females

727,654

[16th of 226]

Manpower > Reaching military age annually > Males

766,668

[16th of 226]

Manpower available for military service > Females age 18-49

17,541,037

[12th of 120]

Manpower available for military service > Males age 18-49

18,319,545

[13th of 164]

Manpower fit for military service > Females age 18-49

15,005,597

[9th of 119]

Manpower fit for military service > Males age 18-49

15,665,725

[9th of 161]

Manpower reaching military service age annually > Females age 18-49

808,044

[9th of 91]

Manpower reaching military service age annually > Males age 18-49

862,056

[12th of 157]

Military Capabilities > Active Troops

540,000

[8th of 10]

Military Capabilities > Defense Budget

$4,300,000,000.00

[7th of 10]

Military Capabilities > Military Capabilities > Frigates

3

[9th of 10]

Military Capabilities > Tanks

1,613

[9th of 10]

personnel

585,000

[11th of 170]

personnel > % of total labor force

2.12 %

[34th of 168]

Service age and obligation
19 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 17 years of age for Law Enforcement Forces; 15 years of age for Basij Forces (Popular Mobilization Army); conscript military service obligation - 18 months; women exempt from military service

Weapon holdings

5,901,000

[14th of 137]

WMD > Missile
Iran possesses one of the largest missile inventories in the Middle East and has acquired complete missile systems and developed an infrastructure to build missiles indigenously. It has purchased North Korean Scud-Bs, Scud-Cs, and Nodong ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, Iran has also developed short-range artillery rockets and is producing the Scud-B and the Scud-C—called the Shehab-1 and Shehab-2, respectively. Iran recently flight-tested the 1,300 km-range Shehab-3, which is based on the North Korean Nodong. The Shehab-3 is capable of reaching the Zionist regime. Following this most recent flight-test, the Shehab-3 was placed in service and revolutionary guard units were officially armed with the missiles. There are conflicting reports about the development of even longer-ranged missiles, such as the Shehab-4 and the Kosar intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). U.S. intelligence agencies assess that barring acquisition of a complete system or major subsystem from North Korea, Iran is unlikely to launch an ICBM or satellite launch vehicle (SLV) before mid-decade. At present, Iran's capabilities in missile production have kept in line with its doctrine of protection from regional threats. Iran has developed new missiles including the Ra'ad and Kosar and continues to test its Nodong based, Shehab-3 missile. On October 20, 2004, Iranian Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani confirmed the latest successful test of Iran’s Shehab-3 with a 2,000-kilometer range in front of observers. Iran has openly declared its ability to mass produce the Shehab-3 medium-range missile. Intelligence reports regarding Iran's expansion of capabilities and persistent interest in acquiring new technologies have led the United States to seek other options in dealing with Iran as a regional threat.

WMD > Overview
Iran's chemical weapons and ballistic missiles, and possibly its nuclear weapon program and biological warfare capabilities, are meant to deter opponents and to gain influence in the Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea regions. The acquisition and creation of these various weapon systems can also be seen as a response to Iran's own experience as a victim of chemical and missile attacks during the Iran-Iraq War.