Military Iran
Military branches:
Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces (includes Ground Forces,
Navy, Air Force and Air Defense Command), Iranian Revolutionary
Guards Corps (IRGC) (includes Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy, Qods
[special operations], and Basij [Popular Mobilization Army] forces),
Law Enforcement Forces
Military manpower - military age:
21 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 20,343,063 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,094,551 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 870,711 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9.7 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.1% (FY00)
Transnational Issues Iran
Disputes - international:
Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed waters on
Helmand River tributaries in response to prolonged drought in
region; thousands of Afghan refugees still reside in Iran; despite
restored diplomatic relations in 1990, disputes with Iraq over
maritime and land boundaries, navigation channel, and other issues
from eight-year war persist; UAE engage direct talks and Arab League
support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands
and Abu Musa Island; Iran insists on division of the Caspian Sea
into five equal sectors, while other littoral states have generally
agreed to equidistant seabed boundaries - Iran has threatened
Azerbaijanian hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters