Military expenditure (current LCU) in Iran
Iran: Military expenditure (current LCU) was 4,899.89 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
4,899.89 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 34.4%
World rank
2nd
of 168 countries
All-time high
4,899.89 trillion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
7.47 billion current LCU
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military expenditure in Iran, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
Iran recorded 4,899.89 trillion current LCU for military expenditure in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 34.4% on the previous year and up 1,495.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Iran peaked at 4,899.89 trillion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7.47 billion current LCU, in 1960.
That places Iran 2nd out of 168 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (current LCU) in Iran, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.47 billion current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 8.03 billion current LCU | +7.4% |
| 1962 | 8.32 billion current LCU | +3.7% |
| 1963 | 9.75 billion current LCU | +17.1% |
| 1964 | 11.78 billion current LCU | +20.8% |
| 1965 | 15.15 billion current LCU | +28.7% |
| 1966 | 19.40 billion current LCU | +28.1% |
| 1967 | 25.07 billion current LCU | +29.3% |
| 1968 | 33.12 billion current LCU | +32.1% |
| 1969 | 42.88 billion current LCU | +29.4% |
| 1970 | 46.98 billion current LCU | +9.6% |
| 1971 | 30.48 billion current LCU | -35.1% |
| 1972 | 28.18 billion current LCU | -7.5% |
| 1973 | 33.12 billion current LCU | +17.6% |
| 1974 | 262.32 billion current LCU | +691.9% |
| 1975 | 402.65 billion current LCU | +53.5% |
| 1976 | 504.80 billion current LCU | +25.4% |
| 1977 | 538.08 billion current LCU | +6.6% |
| 1978 | 572.00 billion current LCU | +6.3% |
| 1979 | 352.05 billion current LCU | -38.5% |
| 1980 | 344.35 billion current LCU | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 636.35 billion current LCU | +84.8% |
| 1982 | 811.50 billion current LCU | +27.5% |
| 1983 | 911.40 billion current LCU | +12.3% |
| 1984 | 893.95 billion current LCU | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 975.15 billion current LCU | +9.1% |
| 1986 | 925.05 billion current LCU | -5.1% |
| 1987 | 1.09 trillion current LCU | +17.9% |
| 1988 | 1.30 trillion current LCU | +18.9% |
| 1989 | 1.17 trillion current LCU | -9.5% |
| 1990 | 1.12 trillion current LCU | -4.4% |
| 1991 | 1.19 trillion current LCU | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 1.29 trillion current LCU | +9.2% |
| 1993 | 1.84 trillion current LCU | +41.9% |
| 1994 | 2.98 trillion current LCU | +62.2% |
| 1995 | 4.37 trillion current LCU | +46.8% |
| 1996 | 6.22 trillion current LCU | +42.2% |
| 1997 | 8.14 trillion current LCU | +30.9% |
| 1998 | 9.60 trillion current LCU | +18.0% |
| 1999 | 11.66 trillion current LCU | +21.4% |
| 2000 | 14.70 trillion current LCU | +26.0% |
| 2001 | 18.21 trillion current LCU | +23.9% |
| 2002 | 22.41 trillion current LCU | +23.1% |
| 2003 | 30.46 trillion current LCU | +35.9% |
| 2004 | 45.17 trillion current LCU | +48.3% |
| 2005 | 60.93 trillion current LCU | +34.9% |
| 2006 | 80.26 trillion current LCU | +31.7% |
| 2007 | 86.60 trillion current LCU | +7.9% |
| 2008 | 104.49 trillion current LCU | +20.7% |
| 2009 | 124.14 trillion current LCU | +18.8% |
| 2010 | 139.06 trillion current LCU | +12.0% |
| 2011 | 151.58 trillion current LCU | +9.0% |
| 2012 | 200.82 trillion current LCU | +32.5% |
| 2013 | 220.92 trillion current LCU | +10.0% |
| 2014 | 256.85 trillion current LCU | +16.3% |
| 2015 | 307.20 trillion current LCU | +19.6% |
| 2016 | 378.22 trillion current LCU | +23.1% |
| 2017 | 459.79 trillion current LCU | +21.6% |
| 2018 | 482.16 trillion current LCU | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 564.41 trillion current LCU | +17.1% |
| 2020 | 766.64 trillion current LCU | +35.8% |
| 2021 | 1,336.03 trillion current LCU | +74.3% |
| 2022 | 2,016.19 trillion current LCU | +50.9% |
| 2023 | 3,079.52 trillion current LCU | +52.7% |
| 2024 | 3,646.06 trillion current LCU | +18.4% |
| 2025 | 4,899.89 trillion current LCU | +34.4% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 4,899.89 trillion current LCU is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.44 billion current LCU, 88389.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Iran's 4,899.89 trillion current LCU is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 71.37 billion current LCU, 68653.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (current LCU) in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +691.9% | 33.12 billion current LCU | 262.32 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18.10 billion current LCU | 7.47 billion current LCU | 42.88 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 277.06 billion current LCU | 28.18 billion current LCU | 572.00 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 906.09 billion current LCU | 344.35 billion current LCU | 1.30 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.84 trillion current LCU | 1.12 trillion current LCU | 11.66 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.73 trillion current LCU | 14.70 trillion current LCU | 124.14 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 316.10 trillion current LCU | 139.06 trillion current LCU | 564.41 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,624.05 trillion current LCU | 766.64 trillion current LCU | 4,899.89 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More public sector data for Iran
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4587 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 100 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 86.19 current USD per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military expenditure in Iran?
- Military expenditure in Iran was 4,899.89 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest military expenditure recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 4,899.89 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.47 billion current LCU in 1960.
- How does Iran rank for military expenditure?
- Iran ranks 2nd out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,495.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)