Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Iran
Iran: Military expenditure (% of GDP) was 2.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military expenditure in Iran, 1960–2025
Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Iran recorded 2.1% for military expenditure in 2025.
That represents a change of down 5.7% on the previous year and down 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military expenditure in Iran peaked at 12.1% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1993.
Iran ranks 66th of 167 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military expenditure (% of GDP) in Iran, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.3% | — |
| 1961 | 2.3% | +2.3% |
| 1962 | 2.3% | -1.7% |
| 1963 | 2.6% | +12.3% |
| 1964 | 2.9% | +11.3% |
| 1965 | 3.2% | +12.8% |
| 1966 | 3.8% | +17.5% |
| 1967 | 4.5% | +16.7% |
| 1968 | 5.2% | +16.1% |
| 1969 | 6.0% | +15.3% |
| 1970 | 5.9% | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 3.0% | -48.0% |
| 1972 | 2.3% | -25.3% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | -18.0% |
| 1974 | 8.8% | +369.3% |
| 1975 | 12.1% | +37.9% |
| 1976 | 11.2% | -6.8% |
| 1977 | 10.2% | -9.4% |
| 1978 | 11.1% | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 5.8% | -47.8% |
| 1980 | 5.3% | -7.8% |
| 1981 | 8.2% | +53.3% |
| 1982 | 7.9% | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 7.1% | -10.2% |
| 1984 | 6.4% | -10.5% |
| 1985 | 6.5% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 6.1% | -6.7% |
| 1987 | 5.9% | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 6.3% | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 4.6% | -27.3% |
| 1990 | 2.9% | -35.4% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | -26.3% |
| 1992 | 1.8% | -17.5% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | +21.9% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 2.5% | +11.3% |
| 1998 | 2.6% | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | -8.5% |
| 2000 | 2.3% | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 2.2% | -10.1% |
| 2003 | 2.4% | +10.6% |
| 2004 | 2.8% | +17.9% |
| 2005 | 3.0% | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 3.3% | +9.2% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | -19.9% |
| 2008 | 2.7% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | +13.6% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -8.6% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | -14.5% |
| 2012 | 2.7% | +12.8% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -18.8% |
| 2014 | 2.1% | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | +20.8% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | -17.2% |
| 2019 | 2.1% | -8.9% |
| 2020 | 2.2% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 2.3% | +6.5% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 2.5% | +11.4% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | -11.0% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | -5.7% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 2.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.4%, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Iran's 2.1% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.6%, 59% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military expenditure (% of GDP) 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 | +369.3% | 1.9% | 8.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.5% | 2.3% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 7.2% | 1.9% | 12.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.4% | 4.6% | 8.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.3% | 1.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 2.2% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.5% | 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 2.1% 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 12.1% in 1975.
- What is the lowest military expenditure recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1993.
- How does Iran rank for military expenditure?
- Iran ranks 66th out of 167 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military expenditure rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.2%. 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 (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Military expenditure by country as percentage of gross domestic product