Proposed Government Budget for Major Military Institutions in Iran; Is It Too Little or Too Much?

Following the approval of the general outlines of the budget bill for the year 1396 in the Iranian calendar by the Program and Budget Commission, the Islamic Consultative Assembly is currently reviewing the details of this bill. In the proposed budget for the upcoming year, which President Hassan Rouhani officially presented to the Islamic Consultative Assembly on December 5, the total public resources are estimated to be nearly 320 trillion tomans, of which at least 35 trillion tomans, equivalent to 11% of the total public resources, is allocated to the military sector. The proposed budget for next year indicates an increase in the budget for major military institutions in the country. Fereydoun Khavand, an economics professor in France, estimates the total military budget in Iran to be at least 35 trillion tomans. Among the major military institutions in the proposed budget for next year, the budget for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shows the highest growth. Despite the IRGC having the largest share among the major military institutions, the total military budget of Iran is not considered significant compared to other countries. Hossein Aryan, a military affairs expert in the UK, points out that despite the larger forces of the army compared to the IRGC, the IRGC's share of the military budget has always been greater than that of the army. However, is the military budget allocated for Iran excessive or insufficient when compared to the total budget for the upcoming year? Fereydoun Khavand believes it is excessive in terms of the need to address other areas of the country, although he considers it insufficient given the current conditions and the regional situation. Hossein Aryan shares a similar view and does not regard Iran's military budget as high compared to other countries. In the proposed budget for next year, more than 23 trillion tomans is allocated for the IRGC General Staff, nearly 8 trillion tomans for the Army General Staff, over 4 trillion tomans for the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, more than 3 trillion tomans for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran, and over 1 trillion tomans for the Basij Organization. In this context, the Army's Ground Forces have begun a three-day exercise in southeastern Iran.