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Iran

Iran Military Stats

Edsel.G

Author: Edsel.G

The Iranian Armed Forces is considered by many observers to be one of the strongest armed forces in the Middle East. Long-standing conflicts with other Arab states and its hatred towards Israel have led to the creation of the powerful Iranian military.

It is noteworthy that Iran has had favorable relations with the US in the past. In fact, the US had once supplied the country with weapons in the clandestine operation known as Iran Contra Affair. However, following the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the installation of a theocratic regime, relations soured and the US, along with its Western allies, started imposing economic and military sanctions on the country.

Still, despite the limited opportunities to acquire foreign military equipments, Iran managed to establish a powerful military through several means:

  1. Purchasing weapons from countries such as North Korea and China;

  2. Creating their own indigenous weapons using existing foreign platforms as models Indeed, the Iranian military is known for its locally made weapons which, according to Western and Israeli analysts, have fairly destructive capabilities. Its missiles, including and especially the Fateh, are capable of penetrating deep into enemy territory to hit heavily reinforced targets. The US and Israel believe that these weapons are especially designed and created in order to terrorize Israeli civilian centers when the right opportunity comes. It must be remembered that Iran does not recognize the state of Israel and is traditionally and religiously bent on eliminating the ‘Zionists’ from the face of the earth.

As of late, Iran is believed to be on the process of creating nuclear weapons. This is denied by the regime, however, saying that their nuclear development is solely for civilian and scientific purposes and that the country has the right to acquire nuclear power, just like all other countries..

Israel and the US have not ruled out military actions against Iran, with the former convinced that the creation of nuclear weapons by the Iran is a very serious existential threat. Of course, a military is something that is thought of very carefully by Israel, particularly because Iran’s defensive capabilities are close, if not on par, with that of the armies of developed countries.

Definitions

  • Air force > Combat aircraft: Number of fighter aircrafts (fixed wing aircrafts with combat capability).
  • Army > Attack helicopters: Number of attack helicopter (includes helicopters that have some attacking capabilities).
  • Army > Main battle tanks: Number of main battle tanks.
  • Battle-related deaths > Number of people: Battle-related deaths (number of people). Battle-related deaths are deaths in battle-related conflicts between warring parties in the conflict dyad (two conflict units that are parties to a conflict). Typically, battle-related deaths occur in warfare involving the armed forces of the warring parties. This includes traditional battlefield fighting, guerrilla activities, and all kinds of bombardments of military units, cities, and villages, etc. The targets are usually the military itself and its installations or state institutions and state representatives, but there is often substantial collateral damage in the form of civilians being killed in crossfire, in indiscriminate bombings, etc. All deaths--military as well as civilian--incurred in such situations, are counted as battle-related deaths.
  • Budget: Annual defense budget in billion USD.
  • Global Peace Index: The Global Peace Index is comprised of 22 indicators in the three categories ongoing domestic or international conflicts; societal safety; and security and militarization. A low index value indicates a peaceful and safe country.
  • Military service age and obligation: This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of service obligation.
  • Navy > Aircraft carriers: Number of aircraft carriers.
  • Navy > Corvette warships: Number of corvettes.
  • Navy > Submarines: Number of patrol boats (includes minesweepers).
  • Paramilitary personnel: Paramilitary.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • Personnel > Per capita: Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Service age and obligation: This entry gives the required ages for voluntary or conscript military service and the length of sevice obligation.
  • WMD > Missile: A description of the nation's situation with regards to the possession and manufacture of missile weapons of mass destruction
  • WMD > Nuclear: A description of the nation's situation with regards to the possession and manufacture of nuclear weapons
STAT AMOUNT DATE RANK HISTORY
Air force > Combat aircraft 407 2006 1st out of 2
Army > Attack helicopters 100 2006 1st out of 1
Army > Main battle tanks 2,895 2006 1st out of 2
Battle-related deaths > Number of people 190 2011 19th out of 31
Budget 10 US$ BN 2006 2nd out of 2
Global Peace Index 2.47 2013 26th out of 162
Military service age and obligation 18 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 is 18 months; women exempt from military service 2012
Navy > Aircraft carriers 0.0 2006 1st out of 2
Navy > Corvette warships 2 2006 2nd out of 2
Navy > Submarines 28 2006 1st out of 1
Paramilitary personnel 1.51 million 2013 1st out of 5
Personnel > Per capita 8.57 per 1,000 people 2005 36th out of 160
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 2008
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 Israel. 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. 2004
WMD > Nuclear By early June 2005, the EU-3 (France, Great Britain, and Germany) had not yet submitted their proposal to Iran outlining future nuclear negotiations. The EU-3 requested a delay in negotiations, but Tehran rejected the delay and publicly announced it would resume peaceful nuclear research activities. At issue was Iran's insistance that right to peaceful nuclear research be included in any proposal, a position the United States adamantly opposed. Attempts were made to persuade Iran to give up its fuel cycle ambitions and accept nuclear fuel from abroad, but Tehran made it clear that any proposal that did not guarantee Iran's access to peaceful nuclear technology would lead to the cessation of all nuclear related negotiations with the EU-3. In addition, members of the Iranian Majlis, scientists, scholars, and students were protesting and holding rallies to encourage the government to lift the suspension on uranium enrichment and to not succumb to foreign (U.S.) pressure. One week later, Iran once again agreed to temporarily freeze its nuclear program until the end of July when the European Union agreed it would submit a proposal for the next roud of talks. In June, IAEA Deputy Director Pierre Goldschmidt stated that Iran admitted to providing incorrect information about past experiments involving plutonium. Tehran claimed all such research ceased in 1993, but results from recent tests show experiments took place as late as 1995 and 1998. In early July, Iran asked the IAEA if it could break UN seals and test nuclear-related equipment, stating the testing would not violate Tehran's voluntary suspension of nuclear activities. At the end of July, an official letter was submitted to the IAEA stating that the seals at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF) would be removed. The IAEA requested that it be given 10 days to install the necessary surveillance equipment. On 1 August, Iran reminded the EU-3 that 3 August would be the last opportunity for a proposal to be submitted to continue negotiations. A few days later, the European Union submitted the Framework for a Long-term Agreement proposal to Iran. The proposal specifically called on Iran to exclude fuel-cycle related activity. Tehran immediately rejected the proposal as a negation of its inalienable rights. On 8 August, nuclear activities resumed at the Isfahan UCF and two days later, IAEA seals were removed from the remaining parts of the process lines with IAEA inspectors present. In the days leading up to Iran's resumption of nuclear activities, several countries called on Iran to cooperate with the IAEA and to re-establish full suspension of all enrichment related activities. Additionally, some European countries and the United States threatened to refer Iran to the UN Security Council. Once again, Iran rejected any proposal related to the suspension of conversion activities, but stated they were ready to continue negotiations. Tehran did not believe there was any legal basis for referral to the UN Security council and believed it was only a political move. Iran also threatened to stop all negotiations, prevent any further inspections at all its nuclear facilities, suspend the implementation of the Additional Protocol, and withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), if it was referred to the UN Security Council. In August 2005, the IAEA announced that most of the highly enriched uranium (HEU) particle contamination found at various locations in Iran were found to be of foreign origin. The IAEA concluded much of the HEU found on centrifuge parts were from imported Pakistani equipment, rather than from any enrichment activities conducted by Iran. In late August, Iran began announcing it would be resuming nuclear activities in Natanz and that Tehran would be willing to negotiate as long as there were no conditions. In August, Iran refused to comply with a resolution from the IAEA to halt its nuclear program, stating that making nuclear fuel was its right as a member of the NPT. The European Union believed that although Iran did have a right to nuclear energy under Article 4 of the NPT, it had lost that right because it violated Article 2 of the NPT - "not to seek or receive any assistance in the manufacture of nuclear related weapons or other nuclear explosive devices." On 24 September 2005, the IAEA found Iran in non-compliance of the NPT. The resolution passed with 21 votes of approval, 12 abstentions, and one opposing vote. Russia and China were among those that abstained from voting and Venezuela was the only country to vote against the resolution. The resolution stated Iran's non-compliance due to "many failures and breaches" over nuclear safeguards of the NPT were grounds for referral to the UN Security Council. 2005

Citation

  • Iran ranked first for manpower fit for military service > males age 16-49 amongst Middle Eastern and North Africa in 2013.
  • Iran ranked third for armed forces personnel amongst Muslim countries in 2000.

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The Iranian Armed Forces is considered by many observers to be one of the strongest armed forces in the Middle East. Long-standing conflicts with other Arab states and its hatred towards Israel have led to the creation of the powerful Iranian military.

It is noteworthy that Iran has had favorable relations with the US in the past. In fact, the US had once supplied the country with weapons in the clandestine operation known as Iran Contra Affair. However, following the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the installation of a theocratic regime, relations soured and the US, along with its Western allies, started imposing economic and military sanctions on the country.

Still, despite the limited opportunities to acquire foreign military equipments, Iran managed to establish a powerful military through several means:

  1. Purchasing weapons from countries such as North Korea and China;

  2. Creating their own indigenous weapons using existing foreign platforms as models Indeed, the Iranian military is known for its locally made weapons which, according to Western and Israeli analysts, have fairly destructive capabilities. Its missiles, including and especially the Fateh, are capable of penetrating deep into enemy territory to hit heavily reinforced targets. The US and Israel believe that these weapons are especially designed and created in order to terrorize Israeli civilian centers when the right opportunity comes. It must be remembered that Iran does not recognize the state of Israel and is traditionally and religiously bent on eliminating the ‘Zionists’ from the face of the earth.

As of late, Iran is believed to be on the process of creating nuclear weapons. This is denied by the regime, however, saying that their nuclear development is solely for civilian and scientific purposes and that the country has the right to acquire nuclear power, just like all other countries..

Israel and the US have not ruled out military actions against Iran, with the former convinced that the creation of nuclear weapons by the Iran is a very serious existential threat. Of course, a military is something that is thought of very carefully by Israel, particularly because Iran’s defensive capabilities are close, if not on par, with that of the armies of developed countries.

Posted on 07 Apr 2014

Edsel.G

Edsel.G

247 Stat enthusiast

-1

Glory to Persia. The sleeping Lion Of Iran is awakening.
The Glorious, benevolent and enlightened Persia is Eternal.

Posted on 09 Dec 2009

BijanDoroodchi

BijanDoroodchi

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