Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 27
By Saeed Isayev - Trend:
If Iran does increase its military budget, the country's detractors, Saudi Arabia and Israel will clearly seek to exploit that to their advantage, Senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, James M. Dorsey told Trend on Jan. 27.
"They will portray it as evidence of Iran's aggressive intentions and lack of trust worthiness," the expert said, commenting on Iran possibly increasing its military budget for the next calendar year, which starts on March 21, 2014.
On Jan. 26, Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani said that the country will increase its military budget in response to the recent remarks made by US Secretary of State, John Kerry.
Kerry said previously that a military option on Iran is still open.
At the same time, Iranian Sharqh newspaper published information that Iran's proposed military budget for the next year is 9 percent less than the current year's budget.
Early in Dec. of 2013, Mehr news agency reported that Iranian army budget has increased by 50 percent (52 trillion rials - approximately $2.1 billion), while the budget for IRGC (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps) has increased by 30 percent and will be 44.5 trillion rials ($1.79 billion). Iran's military budget includes both the budget for the army and the IRGC.
James Dorsey said that if Iran does increase its military budget, various countries will react differently.
"Most Middle East nations are spending significantly on their militaries," he said. It's no surprise if Iran does too."
"The issue is more what that spending will focus on. Obviously, nuclear is a no go. The other issue will be what western nations categorise as terrorism as well as the role of the Revolutionary Guards beyond Iran's borders," he explained.
When asked if Iran's increase of military budget would affect the previously reached nuclear agreement with P5+1 group, Dorsey said it could go both ways.
"Not necessarily. Only if it can be construed to be a violation of the six month agreement or of the spirit of the negotiations," he said.
Iran and the P5+1 reached a nuclear agreement on Nov. 24. Iran has agreed to curb some of its nuclear activities for six months in return for sanctions relief. Both Iran and the P5+1 group have agreed to implement the agreement starting from Jan. 20.
Under the agreement, six major powers agreed to give Iran access to $4.2 billion in revenues blocked overseas if it carries out the deal, which offers sanctions relief in exchange for steps to curb Iran's nuclear program.
The U.S. and its Western allies suspect Iran of developing a nuclear weapon - something that Iran denies. The Islamic Republic has on numerous occasions stated that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, using nuclear energy for medical researches instead.