The Islamic Republic's Military Budget Will Increase by 200% Next Year

A member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly stated that the military budget is set to double in the 1404 budget bill, saying that although "it cannot be said that this means preparing for war conditions," it signifies that "we are not negotiating." With the "200% increase" in the military budget of the Islamic Republic's armed forces, sent to the parliament by the government of Masoud Pezeshkian, the website "Rooidad 24" examined whether this doubling of the military budget indicates Iran's readiness for war. Ahmad Bakhshaei Ardestani, a member of the Foreign Policy and National Security Commission of the parliament, responded to this question by saying: "It cannot be interpreted exactly this way, but nonetheless, a significant increase in the military budget means that we are not negotiating and do not have negotiations on the agenda." In recent days, after Donald Trump, the President of the United States, expressed his willingness to have a confirmed nuclear peace agreement with the Iranian government, Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, claimed that "negotiating with the U.S. will not solve the country's problems." Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council emphasized that, as the U.S. President has repeatedly stated, Donald Trump is committed to ensuring that the Islamic Republic of Iran never acquires nuclear weapons. Additionally, the U.S. President, who stated: "I would prefer to negotiate than bomb Iran," commented on a potential Israeli attack on Islamic Republic positions, saying: "Let's see what happens." Meanwhile, Prince Reza Pahlavi has called for the unity of all opposition groups against the Islamic Republic, emphasizing that "the Islamic Republic is in its weakest and most ineffective days, and regional and global developments have provided us with a historic opportunity. However, this window of opportunity is not everlasting." Ahmad Bakhshaei Ardestani also stated that the military budget's growth being equal to or greater than the "budgets related to the livelihood of the people" serves as "a signal that the country is not heading in a good direction," comparing the Islamic Republic's situation to that before the collapse of the Soviet Union, saying: "In the final years of the former Soviet Union, a situation arose where the share of the military budget was equal to the budget for livelihood and social and economic needs. This pattern itself indicates that the resilience of the people weakened and the collapse of the Soviet Union was solidified." The "200% increase" in the military budget for the Islamic Republic's armed forces for the coming year comes at a time when, in recent years, alongside the growing protests of workers, teachers, retirees, and other wage earners, various governments of the Islamic Republic have repeatedly claimed a lack of budget to address their demands. The statements of this parliament official confirm last year's prediction by an Iranian journalist who, in an interview with Voice of America, emphasized that "conditions similar to a collapsing Soviet Union are occurring." The comparison made by this member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly regarding the situation of the Islamic Republic and the former Soviet Union comes at a time when, following the continuous rise in the prices of essential goods, foreign currencies, and gold, as well as turbulence in Iran's financial markets, another representative had warned about the emergence of famine.