20 to 50 Million Tomans: The Cost of Military Service for Draft Dodgers

A member of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran announced that the current penalty for military service draft dodgers is between 20 to 50 million tomans. Mousa Kamali, Deputy of Human Resources at the General Staff, stated on Wednesday, December 19, during a press conference, the conditions for paying fines and resolving the status of draft dodgers. According to Tasnim News Agency, Kamali mentioned that some draft dodgers, including those living abroad, are unable to serve due to family issues, job commitments, and age, and the armed forces emphasize that the status of these individuals should be clarified as soon as possible. He further explained that based on the 2015 budget bill, those who have been absent for more than eight years and are between 27 and 50 years old, and whose service would negatively affect the morale of other soldiers, will be resolved through payment of fines. The amount of the fine will be determined based on whether the individual is inside or outside the country, their educational qualifications, and the duration of their absence, currently set between 20 million to 50 million tomans. Kamali noted that the fine for someone who has been absent for eight years differs from that of someone who has been absent for 20 years, and educational background also plays a role in determining the fine. He stated that the aim is to resolve the status of all draft dodgers in 2015. Additionally, those living abroad can pay their fines through their local embassies. Last Tuesday, some newspapers and news websites reported that based on the 2015 budget bill presented by Hassan Rouhani to the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the purchase of military service has become possible for some draft dodgers. Accordingly, in section "T" of Note 16 of this bill, which was presented to the parliament on December 16, it states: "The government is authorized to exempt all conscripts who have been absent for more than 10 years from their service by paying a fine for the duration of their absence."