Sanctions relief provided to Iran under a recently inked nuclear accord is expected to boost the Islamic Republic’s military spending by nearly $5 billion dollars, with much of that money going to fund Iran’s terror forces, according to a new study by a Washington, D.C.-based think-tank.
Under the parameters of the deal, Iran will receive nearly $150 billion in sanctions relief and cash assets. Because the money comes with no strings attached, it is expected that Iran will spend the money to fund its global terrorism operation, as well as its defense sector.
The cash windfall will allow Iran to put another $4.8 billion into its defense budget if current spending trends remain the same, according to a new study by the American Action Forum (AAF).
The study comes amid multiple reports indicating that Iran is building a series of new weaponized drones, missile defense shields, and other types of military hardware meant to deter an attack from Western forces in the region.
Iran is currently spending about 3.4 percent of its total public budget on defense, according to AAF, which used official documents published by Iran to conduct its study.
About 65 percent of the money budgeted for defense is spent on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite paramilitary fighting force that is known to coordinate and conduct terror activities across the globe.
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