The Iranian government plans to triple its military budget for the upcoming year amid an unprecedented escalation in attacks exchanged with Israel in recent months.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced that there will be “a significant increase of almost 200 percent in the country’s military budget.”
Previously, Iran’s military budget was reportedly $10.3 billion, significantly lower than those of regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, with approximately $70 billion, and Turkey, with about $40 billion.
The plan is part of a budget proposal submitted to parliament, which lawmakers are expected to finalize early next year.
Military Resources
Iran fields a military force of 610,000 active-duty personnel and 350,000 reserves, totaling nearly 960,000 troops, one of the largest military forces in the Middle East.
The country has also developed advanced aerospace and missile technologies, including long-range precision-guided missiles and drones, as key components of its deterrence strategy.
Tit-for-Tat Missile Strikes
Amid rising regional tensions, Tehran conducted several missile strikes against Israel, launching hundreds of rockets in April and October.
These operations resulted in Israel intercepting and neutralizing most of the Iranian missiles aimed at its airbases.
April’s retaliation came in response to Israel’s bombardment of the Iranian consulate in Syria, which killed multiple senior Iranian officials.
The October barrage followed the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon and the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Later in the month, Israel retaliated by launching missiles at Iranian assets, targeting missile production facilities and killing four soldiers.
Commenting on the October attack, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that Tehran would “use all available tools” to respond to Israel.
Enemies and Allies
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that “the enemies, both the US and the Zionist regime, should know that they will definitely receive a tooth-breaking response to what they are doing against Iran, the Iranian nation, and the resistance front.”
In addition to supporting Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran also backs the Houthi movement in Yemen.
Earlier last month, the Iranian parliament drafted a proposal for a “Resistance Pact” to create a common defense mechanism between Tehran and its allies to counter external threats.
The proposal stated that “all member countries or freedom movements will be required to provide comprehensive support, including military, economic, and political assistance, should any member state come under attack,” according to state media.
Last weekend, US warplanes attacked the Houthis in Yemen, targeting weapons storage facilities in Sanaa.