Guidance

Country policy and information note: military service, Iran, August 2026 (accessible)

Updated 26 August 2026

Version 4.0, August 2026

Executive summary

Military service is compulsory for all males aged between 18 and 49 and lasts for between 14 and 24 months. Some exemptions apply, on both non-medical and medical grounds, including for gay men and transgender people, who are classified as having a mental disorder in Iran.

Specific military training is limited to 2 months for most conscripts. Soldiers performing their duties are responsible for operational areas, deprived regions, harsh climates, and border security. Conditions for conscripts vary with the type and place of deployment, though salaries are generally relatively low, and humiliation, restrictions over leave, and poor sanitation during military training have all been reported.

A person who evades military service by leaving the country must complete their service on return if they are under the age of 40. For those over 40, a fine is the most common punishment. Draft evaders may also lose social benefits and civil rights including access to employment, higher education, and the ability to leave Iran.

The Iranian government has announced several regulations which pardon some deserters. However, those who remain liable for prosecution may face imprisonment.

Combatants who desert from the front line, causing the Islamic front to fail or resulting in casualties to Iranian forces, may be prosecuted under a charge that can invoke, at the judge’s discretion, the death penalty. However, only one example could be found of a member of military personnel having been sentenced to death since 2023. The arrest and sentencing, for refusing a military order, took place during a period of nationwide unrest.

Draft evaders or deserters are unlikely to fall within the scope of the Refugee Convention by reason of political opinion, race, religion, nationality, or as a particular social group (PSG). Neither are they likely to be subjected to a punishment that, including by virtue of its nature or repetition, amounts to persecution or serious harm.

In general, conscripts are unlikely to be required to commit acts that are contrary to the basic rules of human conduct, and unlikely to face conditions and/or treatment while serving their military service that would, including by virtue of its nature or repetition, be so harsh as to amount to a real risk of persecution or serious harm.

Where the person has a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm from the state, they are unlikely to be able to obtain protection or to be able to internally relocate to escape that risk.

Where a claim is refused, it is unlikely to be certifiable as ‘clearly unfounded’ under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Each case must be considered on its individual facts. The onus is on the person to demonstrate they face persecution or serious harm.

Assessment

Section updated: 24 August 2026

About the assessment

This section considers relevant evidence – including country information, refugee and human rights law and policy, and case law – to assess whether, in general:

• a person faces a real risk of persecution or serious harm by the state because:
  • military service would involve acts, with which the person may be associated, which are contrary to the basic rules of human conduct
  • of the treatment and/or conditions likely to be faced by the person during military service
  • of the penalties likely to be faced if the person refuses to undertake, evades, or deserts from, military service
• internal relocation is possible to avoid persecution or serious harm
• if refused, a claim is likely or not to be certified as ‘clearly unfounded’ under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

Each case must be considered on its individual facts.

For details on how CPIT makes its assessments, gathers and presents country information, its research methodology and disclaimers and explainers on coverage, source selection, maps, translations and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in developing CPIT products, see About country policy and information notes.

1. Material facts, credibility and other checks

1.1.1 Decision makers must:

• assess credibility (see the Asylum Instruction on Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status)
• check if there has been a previous application for a UK visa or another form of leave. Asylum applications matched to visas should be investigated prior to the asylum interview (see the Asylum Instruction on Visa Matches, Asylum Claims from UK Visa Applicants).
• consider making an international biometric data-sharing check, when one has not already been undertaken (see Biometric data-sharing process (Migration 5 biometric data-sharing process)).
• consider language analysis testing, where available, in cases where there are doubts surrounding a person’s claimed place of origin (see the Asylum Instruction on Language Analysis).

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2. Exclusion

2.1.1 While conscripts are, in general, unlikely to be required to commit acts that are contrary to the basic rules of human conduct, Iranian Armed Forces have been responsible for serious human rights abuses (see Acts contrary to the basic rules of human conduct). Decision makers must consider whether there are serious reasons to apply one (or more) of the exclusion clauses. Each case must be considered on its individual facts.

2.1.2 1. If the person is excluded from the Refugee Convention, they will also be excluded from a grant of humanitarian protection, which has a wider range of exclusions than refugee status.

2.1.3 For guidance on exclusion and restricted leave, see the Asylum Instruction on Exclusion under Articles 1F and 33(2) of the Refugee Convention, Humanitarian Protection and the instruction on Restricted Leave.

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3. Convention reason(s)

3.1.1 Draft evaders or deserters are unlikely to fall within the scope of the Refugee Convention by reason of political opinion, race, religion or nationality.

3.1.2 Draft evaders or deserters in Iran are also not considered to form a particular social group (PSG) within the meaning of the Refugee Convention. This is because they do not share an innate characteristic, or a common background that cannot be changed, or share a characteristic or belief that is so fundamental to identity or conscience that a person should not be forced to renounce it, and they do not have a distinct identity in Iran because the group is not perceived as being different by the surrounding society.

3.1.3 A person refusing to do military service, including as a conscientious objector, may claim to do so due to their religious or political beliefs. However, the Asylum Instruction on Military Service and Conscientious Objection and paragraph 22 of the House of Lords judgement in the case of Sepet & Another v. SSHD [2003] UKHL 15 explain that it is necessary to carefully examine the reason for persecution in the mind of the persecutor, rather than the reason for persecution as it is believed by the victim.

3.1.4 There is limited evidence to suggest that the Iranian government generally views a refusal to undertake military service as an act of political or religious disobedience. Therefore, a person, even a conscientious objector, who evades or deserts military service is unlikely to be able to establish that their claim falls within the scope of the Refugee Convention. However, an evader or deserter who also belongs to a minority ethnic group, for example, a Kurd, may be able to establish that the Iranian government views their evasion or desertion as a sign of disloyalty or distrust of the state, and as such, as a political opponent (see Draft evasion and desertion). In such cases, the convention reason will be race and/or actual or imputed political opinion.

3.1.5 In the absence of a link to one of the 5 Refugee Convention reasons necessary for the grant of asylum, the question is whether the person will face a real risk of serious harm to qualify for Humanitarian Protection (HP).

3.1.6 Establishing a convention reason is not sufficient to be recognised as a refugee. The question is whether the person has a well-founded fear of persecution on account of an actual or imputed Refugee Convention reason.

3.1.7 For further guidance on the 5 Refugee Convention grounds, see the Asylum Instruction, Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status.

4. Risk

4.1 General approach to claims based on (compulsory) military service

4.1.1 Compulsory national service is a prerogative of sovereign states. A requirement to do compulsory military service – or punishment for failing to complete this duty – does not, in itself, give rise to a well-founded fear of persecution. It will only do so where, on account of a Convention reason:

• military service would involve acts, with which the person may be associated, which are contrary to the basic rules of human conduct, or
• the conditions of military service would be so harsh as to amount to persecution, or
• the punishment for draft evasion or desertion is disproportionately harsh or severe.

4.2 Requirements and exemptions

4.2.1 Military service is compulsory for all males aged between 18 and 49. It lasts for between 14 and 24 months (see Eligibility and Duration).

4.2.2 Conscientious objection is not possible. However, some exemptions exist:

a. on medical grounds, for men with physical or mental illnesses; or

b. on non-medical grounds, for (i) students, (ii) men with specified family members who serve/have served in the military including those who have been killed or gone missing during the course of their service, and (iii) men deemed responsible for elderly or disabled family members, or multiple children, under specified circumstances (see Exemptions); or

c. for gay men and transgender people, because they are classified in Iran as having a mental disorder (see Exemptions: Gender and sexual orientation and the Country Policy and Information Note, Iran: Sexual orientation and gender identity and expression).

4.2.3 For more on assessing risk, see the Instructions Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status and Military Service and Conscientious Objection.

4.3 Acts contrary to the basic rules of human conduct

4.3.1 Conscripts are, in general, unlikely to be required to commit acts that are contrary to the basic rules of human conduct. The onus is on the person to demonstrate otherwise.

4.3.2 Decision makers should consider that the Iranian authorities are likely to intensify their requirements of conscripts, and/or their response to conscripts who refuse to carry out orders, during periods of unrest in Iran, which may include national civil unrest or international conflict.

4.3.3 Sources indicate that specific military training is limited to 2 months for most conscripts. Soldiers performing duties are responsible for operational areas, deprived regions, harsh climates, and border security, with most conscripts enlisted into the traditional Army. While the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported that conscripts cannot choose their type or location of service, educated conscripts mostly serve in desk jobs having applied to a government organisation of their choice, and skilled conscripts may be assigned to units suited to their skills (see Deployment and duties).

4.3.4 Most recruits to the IRGC serve there through choice, often deployed after a period of active Basij (the IRGC’s voluntary civil militia) membership. A maximum of 20% of draftees with a high school diploma, or less, may be involuntarily assigned to IRGC roles in underprivileged and poorer areas. Some conscripts are assigned to national police units, which may reportedly be used to suppress protests during times of national unrest. One Kurdish news agency reported that the deployment of Kurdish conscripts, particularly those who are Sunni or follow another minority religion, is more restrictive than for non-Kurds in respect of both the assigned role and its location. However, in the example provided by the source, the Kurdish conscript was able to opt to extend his service time rather than partake in armed activities. In times of war or general mobilisation all conscripted personnel are required by law to serve at least one year of their service in operational areas, however, there is no evidence this requirement is exercised in practice (see Types and conditions of service and Conscription).

4.3.5 One conscript was reported by several sources to have been sentenced to death for refusing orders to shoot protesters during nationwide protests in January 2026. In addition, a Norway-based human rights organisation reported that ‘dozens’ of security forces in Kermanshah Province were arrested in January 2026 for refusing to fire on protesters. Beyond this, there is no evidence to indicate that conscripts are likely to be involved in acts contrary to the basic rules of human conduct whilst performing military service in Iran (see State treatment and, for information about what amounts to ‘the basic rules of human conduct’, see the Asylum Instruction, Military Service and Conscientious Objection).

4.3.6 For guidance on 1F see the Asylum Instruction Exclusion: Article 1F of the Refugee Convention, and on assessing risk, the Asylum Instructions Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status and Military Service and Conscientious Objection.

4.4 Conditions in military service

4.4.1 Conscripts are unlikely to face conditions and/or treatment while serving their military service that would, including by virtue of its nature or repetition, be so harsh as to amount to a real risk of serious harm. The onus is on the person to demonstrate otherwise.

4.4.2 Conditions for conscripts vary with the type and place of deployment. Impartial information on the treatment and working conditions of conscripts is limited. However, conditions in the Revolutionary Guard are reported to be better than in the regular Army. Salaries, which, the law states, are paid in addition to the provision of living facilities, clothing, food, health, and medical care, are relatively low; although they are reported by the Iranian government to have increased significantly over recent years. Monthly salaries for soldiers were reported to range between approximately £30 and £135, representing 60% to 90% of the minimum salary for regular personnel of the armed forces. A further 20% salary increase was reported for 2026, however, CPIT has been unable to confirm whether the increase was implemented. The average monthly salary in Iran, in late 2023, was between £112 and £187 (applying 2026 exchange rates to the amounts reported in Iranian currency) (see Types and conditions of service).

4.4.3 Acts of humiliation, leave restrictions, and poor sanitation during military training are reported by one Kurdish news agency. Another media outlet reported that in March 2026, during international conflict in Iran, frontline units operated with minimal ammunition, food, and other basic supplies, and that access to medical assistance for injured military personnel was restricted. A small number of suicides or violent acts, allegedly due to physical or psychological pressures of military service, were reported since 2023, though one media outlet reported that approximately 15% of soldiers have suicidal thoughts (see Types and conditions of service).

4.4.4 See also the Asylum Instructions on Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status and Military Service and Conscientious Objection.

4.5 Draft evasion or desertion

4.5.1 A military service evader or deserter is unlikely to be subjected to a punishment that, including by virtue of its nature or repetition, amounts to serious harm. The onus is on the person to demonstrate otherwise.

4.5.2 The available evidence does not indicate a harshening of treatment towards draft evaders/ deserters during periods of international conflicts and/or civil unrest such as national protests.

4.5.3 A person who evades military service by leaving the country remains liable to be drafted on return until the age of 50, although for those over the age of 40, a fine is the most common punishment. Draft evaders may also lose social benefits and civil rights including access to employment and higher education, and the ability to obtain a driver’s licence or passport, or to leave the country. In June 2025, during a period of international conflict in Iran, the Supreme Leader reportedly warned that any act of desertion or disobedience would be treated as treason, punishable by execution. However, the Iranian government has also announced several regulations which pardon some deserters, retrospectively exempting them from military service under specified circumstances. These include absence for more than 8 years, or more than 2 months where the deserter developed physical or mental health issues post-desertion, and absentees who qualify for veteran or caregiving exemptions (see Draft evaders and desertion).

4.5.4 Draft evaders and deserters who remain liable for prosecution may, under the law, face imprisonment. One academic source indicated that Kurds and other ethnic minorities could receive harsher punishments than Persians, due to a higher likelihood of being perceived by the state as political opponents. Penalties under the law during wartime are more severe than in peacetime. Combatants who desert from the front line, causing the Islamic front to fail or resulting in casualties to Iranian forces, shall be treated as mohareb (a person who commits moharebeh, defined as drawing a weapon on the life, property or chastity of people or to cause terror as it creates the atmosphere of insecurity) according to the military and armed service laws. Moharebeh can invoke a punishment of the death penalty, at the discretion of the judge. While it was reported that one conscript  was sentenced to death, and ‘dozens’ of security forces in Kermanshah Province were arrested, for refusing orders to shoot protesters during the nationwide protests of January 2026 (see also Acts contrary to the basic rules of human conduct), CPIT has been unable to find any evidence of evaders or deserters having been prosecuted since 2023, including during periods of international conflict and national unrest in Iran in 2025 and 2026. This should be considered in context of reports that there are between one and 4 million deserters in Iran (see Bibliography, Draft evaders and desertion, Conditions and treatment, and Buy-outs).

4.5.5. See also the Asylum Instructions on Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status and Military Service and Conscientious Objection.

5. Protection

5.1.1 A person who has a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm from the state is unlikely to be able to obtain protection.

5.1.2 For further guidance on assessing state protection, see the Asylum Instruction on Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status.

6. Internal relocation

6.1.1 A person who has a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm from the state is unlikely to be able to internally relocate to escape that risk.

6.1.2 For further guidance on internal relocation and factors to consider, see the Asylum Instruction on Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status.

7. Certification

7.1.1 Where a claim is refused, it is unlikely to be certifiable as ‘clearly unfounded’ under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

7.1.2 Each case must be considered on its individual facts.

7.1.3 For further guidance on certification, see Certification of Protection and Human Rights claims under section 94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (clearly unfounded claims).

Country information

About the country information

The COI provides the basis for the assessment and the executive summary. Decision makers must use relevant COI as the evidential basis for decisions.

The cut-off date for COI included in this note is 30 June 2026.

Some country information quoted in this CPIN was originally published in languages other than English and has been translated using free online translation tools. Translated information is clearly signposted throughout.  

For details on how CPIT gathers and presents country information, its research methodology and disclaimers and explainers on coverage, source selection, maps, translations and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in developing CPIT products, see About country policy and information notes.

8. Legal context

8.1 Constitution

8.1.1 The Iran Data Portal, an online portal which hosts social science data on Iran in both English and Farsi^{[footnote 1]} (Persian), published an English translation of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which states: ‘Article 3 (State Goals) In order to attain the objectives … [of the Islamic Republic of Iran,] the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has the duty of directing all its resources to … [among other goals] 11) all round strengthening of the foundations of national defence to the utmost degree by means of universal military training for the sake of safeguarding the independence, territorial integrity, and the Islamic order of the country …’^{[footnote 2]}

8.1.2 Chapter 9, Section 3 of the Constitution relates to the army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and states:

‘Article 143 (Army Functions) The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for guarding the independence and territorial integrity of the country, as well as the order of the Islamic Republic.

‘Article 144 (Islamic Army) The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran must be an Islamic Army, i.e., committed to Islamic ideology and the people, and must recruit into its service individuals who have faith in the objectives of the Islamic Revolution and are devoted to the cause of realizing its goals.

‘… Article 147 (Peace Functions) In time of peace, the government must utilize the personnel and technical equipment of the Army in relief operations, and for educational and productive ends, and the Construction Jihad while fully observing the criteria of Islamic justice and ensuring that such utilization does not harm the combat-readiness of the Army.

‘Article 148 (No Personal Use) All forms of personal use of military vehicles, equipment, and other means, as well as taking advantage of Army and chauffeurs or [sic] [for]bidden.

‘Article 149 (Promotions) Promotions in military rank and their withdrawal take place in accordance with the law.

‘Article 150 (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps) The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, organized in the early days of the triumph of the Revolution, is to be maintained so that it may continue in its role of guarding the Revolution and its achievements. The scope of the duties of this Corps, and its areas of responsibility, in relation to the duties and areas of responsibility of the other Armed Forces, are to be determined by law with emphasis on brotherly cooperation and harmony among them.

‘Article 151 (Military Training) In accordance with … Koranic verse … the government is obliged to provide a program of military training, with all requisite facilities, for all its citizens, in accordance with the Islamic criteria, in such a way that all citizens will always be able to engage in the armed defence of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The possession of arms, however, requires the granting of permission by the competent authorities.’^{[footnote 3]}

8.2 Military and armed service laws

8.2.1 On 20 July 2014, Ekhtebar, an Iranian news site which is privately-owned by a lawyer in Mashhad, Iran, and registered with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran^{[footnote 4] [footnote 5]}, published the ‘Public Service Duty Law’ (translated into English), approved on 20 October 1984, and with amendments, it stated, until 8 August 2017 (however, CPIT noted that these amendments post-date the publication date and that sources differ on when the most recent amendment to this law took place, see also paragraph 8.2.3). Article 1 of the 1984 law states: ‘Article 1 - Defending the independence, territorial integrity, and the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as the lives, property, and honor of the people, is a religious and national duty of every Iranian. In carrying out this duty, all male citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran are required to perform their compulsory military service according to the provisions of this law …’^{[footnote 6]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

8.2.2 A copy of the ‘Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes’ (translated into English), which was approved on 30 December 2003, was also published by Ekhtebar, on 27 November 2014.^{[footnote 7]} See Draft evaders and desertion for further information.

8.2.3 An article published on 7 November 2023 by the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), a semi-official news agency which ‘is partially funded by University Jihad, a state-backed organisation’^{[footnote 8]}, entitled ‘Details on exemptions and salary increases for soldiers’ (translated into English), stated: ‘The social deputy of the General Military Service Organization of FAR[A]JA [the Law Enforcement Command, see paragraph 9.1.3] noted: The Public Military Service Law existed even before the revolution, the first amendment was announced in 1984, and its latest amendment dates back to 2011 [sources differ on when the most recent amendment to this law was, however, see also paragraph 8.2.1]. According to this law, exemptions became more targeted, deployment in non-military institutions, deduction of service time, determination of service duration by the Armed Forces General Staff, the needs of the armed forces and society at the time, and the duration of mandatory service were all revised.’^{[footnote 9]} See Conscription, Exemptions, and Types and conditions of service for further information.

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

8.2.4 On 14 September 2025, Fararu News, a media outlet run by a group of independent Iranian journalists^{[footnote 10]}, published an article entitled ‘So, what’s the update on buying military service?’ (translated into English), which stated: ‘Since the early years after the revolution, the laws regarding compulsory military service have changed many times. In 1984, the first comprehensive law on military service was passed, which laid out the general framework for exemptions and the conditions for summoning eligible individuals.’^{[footnote 11]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

9. Armed forces structure

9.1.1 Under articles 107 and 110 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Supreme Leader has ultimate command of the Armed Forces.^{[footnote 12]}

9.1.2 On 30 January 2023, Foreign Policy (FP), a US-based magazine which ‘showcases the smartest ideas and analysis on global affairs by experts, journalists, and practitioners of international relations’^{[footnote 13]} published an article which stated:

‘Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has had a dual-military structure, split between the regular armed forces (the Artesh) and the clerical regime’s ideological army (the IRGC). Whereas the former operates as a conventional nation-state army mandated to protect Iran’s territorial integrity, the latter is a nonconventional force that is constitutionally mandated to enforce and spread the hard-line Islamist ideology of the regime at home and abroad through an “ideological mission of jihad in God’s path.”’^{[footnote 14]}

9.1.3 A ‘Country Focus’ report, published by the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) in June 2024, citing various sources, stated:

‘The Iranian armed forces are made up of three main branches: the Artesh, which is Iran’s traditional or regular military force, Sepah-e pasdaran-e enqelab-e eslami known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), and the Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FARAJA [‘formerly known as the Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran (NAJA)’.^{[footnote 15]} The Army and the IRGC were created on the basis of “faith and ideology”, according to the country’s constitution. The Artesh is tasked to secure territorial integrity, while the IRGC is mandated to preserve the Islamic Republic since its establishment in 1979 by the former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini. In 1988, Iranian authorities created the Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) to liaise between the Artesh and IRGC. The AFGS is the highest military institution in Iran, “which implements policy and coordinates and monitors activities across services.” The IRGC operates as a parallel army to the Artesh. Both armies have their own land, air, and naval forces, however, the IRGC overshadow the Artesh due to the IRGC’s close links with the Supreme Leader, and its capacity as “a major military, political and economic force”.

‘… Both the Artesh and the IRGC report to the Supreme Leader through the AFGS and the Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (KACHQ). The KACHQ is responsible for the coordination of “military operations and is responsible for operational command and control.”

‘In 2019, Iran had 610,000 active military personnel and 1,060,000 military personnel, including reservists.’^{[footnote 16]}

9.1.4 On 24 July 2023, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) published its most recent (at the time of writing) country information report on Iran. The report stated:

‘The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) is Iran’s most powerful security and military organisation, responsible for the protection and survival of the Islamic Republic … It is now Iran’s preeminent internal and external security force with an army, navy and air force, which it operates separately from the regular military, and also has cyber and intelligence wings … There are around 150,000 to 200,000 members of the IRGC across various divisions.

‘… The Basij Resistance Force (‘the Basij’) is a volunteer paramilitary force under the command of the IRGC.

‘… The national police force of Iran are described as a “disciplinary force” and may be known by their abbreviation, “NAJA”. They are distinct from the now-disbanded morality police, known as the Gasht-e Ershad, who enforced religious rules on hijabs, alcohol and showing affection in public. NAJA is responsible for internal security, although receives support from the IRGC and the Basij in quelling large-scale protests. NAJA have an obvious street presence, particularly in the major cities …’^{[footnote 17]}

9.1.5 For more information on the IRGC, the Basij, and NAJA (now known as FARAJA, see paragraph 9.1.3), see the DFAT country information report, published on 24 July 2023.

9.1.6 The DFAT report also noted that Iran has a dedicated military court, which sits under the Supreme Court, the highest court in Iran.^{[footnote 18]}

9.1.7 The EUAA Country Focus report noted that the heads of military courts are members of the clergy, and that the country’s laws and regulations, including its military domain, are required, under the Constitution, to adhere to Islamic principles.^{[footnote 19]}

9.1.8 On 24 June 2024, the ISNA published an article entitled ‘Deserter soldiers will be pardoned/Crime rates among the armed forces are low’ (translated into English) which stated:

‘Seyed Mohammad Mahmoudi [the Head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces in Kermanshah], today (June 24 [2024]) at a press conference for Judiciary Week [the ‘martyrdom anniversary of former Judiciary Chief martyr Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti and his companions’^{[footnote 20]}, said that the judiciary has multiple branches, one of which is the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces. He mentioned that this organization consists of two parts: military courts and the military prosecutor’s office.

‘… [He] explained that this organization is responsible for preventing and handling special crimes within the armed forces. He added that if members of the armed forces commit general crimes, they are dealt with by the regular judiciary, but if the crime is related to their work, it is handled by the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces.’^{[footnote 21]}

9.1.9 An article published on 10 February 2024 by Iran International, a privately-owned, London-based media outlet that provides news for Iranians both in and outside of Iran^{[footnote 22]}, stated: ‘… over 317,000 conscripts enter[ed] … service last year [2023] alone.’^{[footnote 23]}

9.1.10 An article about mandatory military service and draft evasion in Iran, published on 28 December 2024 by Iran News Wire, a news outlet which describes itself as ‘dedicated to honest and reliable reporting … to help end government corruption and environmental disasters in Iran, as well as human rights violations, carried out systematically by the Iranian regime’^{[footnote 24]}, stated: ‘According to statistics, 800,000 individuals are conscripted annually …’^{[footnote 25]}

9.1.11 An article about the IRGC, which was published by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), a US-based nonpartisan think tank focused on foreign policy^{[footnote 26]}, was updated on 30 January 2026. It noted that Iran’s conventional military (i.e. the Artesh), numbered approximately 420,000 personnel in total; 350,000 in its army (including conscripts), 18,000 in its navy, 37,000 in its air force, and 15,000 in its air defense force.^{[footnote 27]} It also noted that approximately 785,000+ personnel fell under the IRGC including 150,000 ground forces, 20,000+ in its navy, 15,000 in its aerospace force, and 600,000 volunteers on mobilisation for the Basij paramilitary.^{[footnote 28]}

9.1.12 The same CFR article, citing the Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a think tank that is both a UK-registered charity and a private limited company^{[footnote 29]}, noted that upwards of 190,000 troops were under the command of the IRGC, and stated that, ‘[a]round half of these personnel are conscripts.’^{[footnote 30]}

10. Conscription

10.1 Eligibility

10.1.1 The Ekhtebar publication of the Public Service Duty Law states:

‘Article 2 - Any male Iranian who reaches the age of eighteen in a given month is subject to the rules of compulsory military service during that month.

‘Note – A person subject to military service is someone who falls under the provisions of [this,] the compulsory military service law.

‘… Article 4 …

‘… Note 1 - The start and end dates of service in the reserve and precautionary stages are calculated from the end date of mandatory service, and in any case, the end date will not exceed the age of 50.

‘Note 2 - In times of necessity and general mobilization, individuals subject to this law may also be called up until the age of 60.’^{[footnote 31]} CPIT was, however, unable to find any information in the sources consulted (see Bibliography) to indicate that anyone between the ages of 50 and 60 have been called up for mandatory military service (looking at the period since 2023). This lack of evidence should be considered in the context of the 2025 and 2026 international conflicts inside Iran, and a period of national unrest in December 2025/ January 2026.

10.1.2 The January 2023 FP article stated: ‘In Iran, it is compulsory for all healthy men above the age of 19 to complete a two-year military service.’^{[footnote 32]}

10.1.3 On 30 April 2023, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), a news agency funded by the Iranian government^{[footnote 33]}, published an article entitled ‘Iranian conscripts with 3 children exempted from military service’ which stated: ‘Iran’s Constitution requires all men aged between 18 and 49 to report for military service …’^{[footnote 34]}

10.1.4 On 17 March 2024, Iran International published an article (‘Iran To Shorten Mandatory Military Service To 14 Months’) which stated: ‘Military service in Iran is obligatory for all Iranian men over 18 years old, except for certain exemptions outlined in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.’^{[footnote 35]}

10.1.5 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘Men who have not done their military service for any reason will be exempted once they turn 50 years old.’^{[footnote 36]} It should be noted that the DFAT report also stated: ‘Version 2* Addendum: The “Military Objectors” section between paragraphs 2.154 and 2.159 has been changed. The report is otherwise entirely unchanged from the version released on 24 July 2023.’^{[footnote 37]} However, the report did not provide the date for the publication of version 2, therefore, the original publication date of the DFAT country report, 24 July 2023, has been provided for this, and all other, citation(s) of the DFAT report throughout this document.

10.1.6 An article published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on 30 March 2026 entitled ‘Iran: Military Stepping Up Child Recruitment’, focused on the recruitment of children into the armed forces outside of mandatory conscription:

‘On March 26, 2026, an official from the IRGC’s 27th Mohammad Rasulullah Division in Tehran said that a campaign to enlist civilians, called “Homeland Defending Combatants for Iran,” had set the minimum age at 12 …

‘… The campaign aims to attract civilians to provide cooking services and medical care, distribute items, and deal with damaged homes, as well as for security activities such as staffing checkpoints, operational patrols, intelligence patrols, and vehicle convoys, said Rahim Nadali, an IRGC official, in an interview with Iran’s Defa Press News Agency [a news agency affiliated to a foundation that is part of the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces and which is directed by a veteran member of the Basij.^{[footnote 38]} The advertising poster for the recruitment drive, published by the news agency, also lists these activities and features two children, a boy and a girl, alongside two adults, including a man in a military uniform.

‘In a televised interview, Nadali said that “(in relation to) intelligence and operational patrols, teenagers and the youth repeatedly have come and said that they want to take part in them. For the Basij checkpoints that you see across cities now, we have had many young people and teenagers demanding to be present in them. Given the ages that were making demands, we have set the (minimum) age at 12. Meaning now there are kids of 12 and 13 who want to be present in this space.”

‘Applicants can register at Tehran mosques that house Basij bases, Nadali and the recruitment poster said. The Basij force is under the IRGC’s command.

‘… Iran’s laws explicitly provide for the military recruitment of children as young as 15.

‘Under the “bylaws and regulations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” individuals must be at least 16 years old to be eligible for employment by the IRGC, including as permanent staff, contractual staff, and special Basiji personnel. Special Basijis are honorary IRGC guards who “possess the qualifications of an [official] guard and… commit to being available full-time to the IRGC when needed.” However, under article 94, children ages 15 and above can qualify as an “active” member, who can “collaborate with the IRGC in carrying out assigned missions” after completing training courses.’^{[footnote 39]}

10.1.7 An article published by Amnesty International on 2 April 2026 stated:

‘Iranian authorities are trampling upon children’s rights and committing a grave violation of international humanitarian law amounting to a war crime by recruiting and mobilizing children as young as 12 into a military campaign led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Amnesty International said today [2 April 2026]. 

‘On 26 March 2026, a deputy of the IRGC Mohammad Rasoul Allah Corps of Greater Tehran, Rahim Nadali, announced that a recruitment campaign called the “Homeland-Defending Combatants for Iran” is “open to volunteers” aged 12 and above, encouraging registrations at Basij bases in mosques across Tehran to join “combatants defending the homeland.” Eyewitness accounts and verified audiovisual evidence show child soldiers having been deployed at IRGC checkpoints and patrols, armed with weapons, including AK47 pattern rifles.   

‘“The Iranian authorities are shamelessly encouraging children as young as 12 to join an IRGC run military campaign, putting them in grave danger and violating international law, which prohibits the recruitment and use of children in the military. Recruiting children under 15 into the armed forces constitutes a war crime,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns.

‘… Amnesty International has analysed 16 photos and videos that have appeared online since 21 March 2026, showing children wielding weapons such as AK-pattern assault rifles or standing alongside IRGC and other forces at checkpoints, on patrols and during state-organized militarized rallies in Tehran, Mashad and Kermanshah.’^{[footnote 40]}

10.1.8 The January 2023 FP article also noted that children above 15 may become active Basij members as it referred to them being ‘… required to complete two months of military training by the IRGC as part of their service …’^{[footnote 41]}

10.1.9 Another HRW article, published on 3 April 2026, noted that Iran had signed, but not ratified, the Child Soldiers Treaty, an optional protocol under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the conscription of children under age 18 or their use in hostilities.^{[footnote 42]}

10.1.10 See also Exemptions.

10.2 Call-up process

10.2.1 The Public Service Duty Law, published by Ekhtebar, states:

‘Chapter Two – Summoning for Mandatory Service

‘Article 19 - Those who reach the age of eighteen, after the publication of the summons notice, are required to report to the organization within six months, and the organization is obligated to determine the status of those subject to duty within a maximum of six months, either sending them to service or exempting them from mandatory service according to the regulations.

‘Note 1 - Conscripts residing abroad must report to the consular or political representation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in their country of residence, and if there is none, to the nearest consular or political representation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

‘Note 2 - Those conscripts who have excuses for being unable to be dispatched to service at the scheduled time may have their dispatch postponed for a maximum of one year according to guidelines prepared based on the organization’s proposal and approved by the General Staff.

‘Article 20 - The National Organization for Civil Registration is obliged to submit the list of male births in counties and districts, whose mandatory service status needs to be reviewed the following year, on a monthly basis to the Public Duty Organization.’^{[footnote 43]}

10.3.2 On 18 December 2024, the IRNA published an article entitled ‘Call-up for conscripts of the January 2025 service term’ (translated into English) which stated:

‘According to a report from IRNA’s reporter from the police, the Public Duty Organization of FARAJA announced in a statement that all conscripts who received their service readiness notice dated December 2024 must go to one of the Police+10 electronic service offices to get their conscript introduction letter to training centers and follow the instructions listed on it.

‘According to this statement, these conscripts should show up on Saturday, December 21, 2024, at the time, place, and centers mentioned in the introduction letter and begin their mandatory service.

‘The statement emphasized that assigned conscripts must bring the meningitis and twin vaccine card on the day of departure. They should also have all required documents, including the service readiness notice, referral letter, vaccination card, national ID card, birth certificate, and any documents related to special conditions.

‘The statement added that not showing up on time at the designated places will be considered absence …’^{[footnote 44]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

10.2.3 On 16 May 2026, the Mehr News Agency, a ‘conservative news agency affiliated with a state-run religious organisation’^{[footnote 45]}, published an article which stated:

‘According to Mehr News Agency, the General Directorate of Military Service of the Iranian Police announced in a statement: As in previous years, all eligible men, whether absent or not, born between 1976 and 2008, must clarify their military service status according to the laws and regulations of mandatory military service.

‘Those who do not determine their military service status within the set deadline will be considered absent …

‘Therefore, eligible men should visit the nearest Police+10 electronic service offices in their area to clarify their military service status.’^{[footnote 46]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

10.2.4 For information about the treatment of those considered absent, see Draft evaders and desertion.

10.3 Duration

10.3.1 The Ekhtebar publication of the Public Service Duty Law states:

‘Article 4 - Mandatory military service is 30 years, and its stages for all eligible individuals are as follows:

‘a - The compulsory service period is 24 months, and if the number of conscripts is more or less than required, the General Staff can, with permission from the Commander-in-Chief, adjust it to be shorter or longer than the compulsory period.

‘b - The reserve period is 8 years.

‘c - The first reserve period is 10 years.

‘d - The second reserve period is 10 years.’^{[footnote 47]}

10.3.2 On 22 October 2023, the IRNA reported that:

‘The Public Conscription Organization of Iran has announced that the mandatory military service for all conscripts in the country has been reduced by three months.

‘According to a statement by the organization, a subdivision of Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Faraja), the reduction in service duration is part of a plan to overhaul the military service aimed at achieving more fairness.

‘The decision was taken following a proposal from the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the approval of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces.

‘The revised service duration, which is now applicable to all conscripts, will be determined based on their specific service location and the nature of their assigned missions. It will range from a minimum of 14 months up to a maximum of 21 months.’^{[footnote 48]}

10.3.3 Another IRNA article, also published on 22 October 2023, stated:

‘The head of the Public Duty Organization of the IRGC said that the minimum military service has been reduced from 17 months to 14 months, and added that all soldiers serving as experts in non-military institutions still have a service duration of 24 months.

‘… Sardar Mehri stated that the minimum military service has been reduced from 17 months to 14 months, and added: Of course, we still have 15, 18, and 21-month service periods. For those serving in normal areas, the service has gone from 24 months to 21 months, and for non-local soldiers, it has been reduced from 21 months to 18 months.’^{[footnote 49]}

10.3.4 On 24 October 2023, the Gulf States Newsletter (GSN), an editorial on Gulf affairs and owned by UK-based Cross-border Information (CbI)^{[footnote 50]}, ‘a team of experienced regional specialists focused on Africa and the Middle East’^{[footnote 51]}, published an article entitled ‘Iran cuts the duration of military service’ which stated: ‘In a surprise announcement, the Iranian authorities said that the length of mandatory military service had been cut by three months.  Military service will now range from between 14 and 21 months, depending on the location and mission of a conscript.’^{[footnote 52]}

10.3.5 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023 and updated on an unknown date, stated: ‘Iran has compulsory military service for a period of 14 to 24 months for men from the age of 18 years. The Majlis (Iran’s legislative body) passed a Bill in early 2024 reducing the period of mandatory military service from September 2024, to “an average of 14 months”.’^{[footnote 53]}

10.3.6 The March 2024 Iran International article stated:

‘The Guardian Council of Iran has officially endorsed a plan to reduce the mandatory military service period to 14 months from the current timespan of 17 to 24 months.

‘Hadi Tahan Nazif, the spokesperson for the council, announced the decision on Saturday [16 March 2024]. The Guardian Council is a 12-member body which checks if the legislations passed by the parliament are not against the country’s Constitution and the Islamic laws.

“With … amendments made by the parliament and in compliance with Article 4 of the Public Service Duty Law and within the framework of the measures of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, it (reducing the mandatory military service) was not considered contrary to the criteria of Sharia and the Constitution,” he said.

‘Mohsen Dehnavi, a member of the parliament’s presiding board, said in February that, “The average military service, including the training period, will be reduced to 14 months, meaning a minimum of three months reduction in the service of all soldiers.”

‘… The decision to approve the reduction of the service, which had been sidelined for at least four years, follows recent reforms in conscript payments [see Conditions and treatment].’^{[footnote 54]}

10.3.7 On 20 August 2024, Donya-e-Eqtesad, an Iranian economic newspaper^{[footnote 55]}, published an article entitled ‘Important details announced about reducing service during military service’ (translated into English). The article stated:

‘According to the General Staff’s definition of the type of service for soldiers in different regions, those who serve in their own city within a 200-kilometer radius from their place of residence, considered locals, need to serve 21 months. Beyond this distance, the soldier is considered non-local and must serve 18 months.

‘The head of the General Military Service Organization of the Iranian Police emphasized: People serving in border areas have a service period of 15 months, and those serving in tough or operational areas have a service period of 14 months. Also, in the past, those who used service reduction got 3 months off per child, but since last year, according to the directive from the Armed Forces Headquarters, it’s 3 months for the first child, 4 months for the second child, and 5 months for the third child. Additionally, 2 months are considered as service reduction for soldiers who are married.’^{[footnote 56]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

10.3.8 On 25 September 2024, the ISNA published an article which stated:

‘… Abolfazl Aboutorabi, the representative of Najafabad in the 11th Parliament, stated: “According to the parliament’s resolution in Article 102 of the 7th Five-Year Plan – which was approved by the Guardian Council – the maximum duration of military service is 14 months, varying depending on four types of climate zones, and in harsh weather conditions in border areas, the service duration has been reduced to 9 months with training.” He added that this plan should be implemented by September 2024 at the latest …’^{[footnote 57]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

10.3.9 The same ISNA article stated that, ‘… the total service period for military personnel in non-military institutions is 24 months … Unlike the regular service period in barracks, which is 21 months, service via assignment [to a military service placement in an administrative or government organisation or institution] lasts 24 months’^{[footnote 58]}

10.3.10 The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), ‘a policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. that seeks to inform US military strategy’^{[footnote 59]}, and the Critical Threats Project (CTP), ‘a project run by the US think tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI)’^{[footnote 60]} (jointly, ISW-CTP), publish a daily ‘Iran Update’, citing various sources. In its update of 28 January 2026, ISW-CTP stated: ‘The Law Enforcement Command’s (LEC) [which ‘oversees Iran’s nationwide mandatory conscription system’^{[footnote 61]} Public Service Organization announced on January 28 [2026] that it is reducing mandatory service time …’^{[footnote 62]} The update did not state what duration it was reducing mandatory service from and to.

10.4 Military service cards

10.4.1 An undated US Department of State (USSD) webpage which provides information about reciprocity and civil documents for Iran in the context of applications for US visas, noted that Kart-e Sarbazi (military card); Kart-e Payan-e Khedmat doreye Zaroorat (service completion card); or Kart-e Mo’afiyat az khedmate doreye zaroorat (exemption card) have been issued by the Iranian Public Conscription Organization under the Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran (NAJA) since 1980.^{[footnote 63]} The webpage states:

‘All service cards show national ID number, given name, surname, father’s name, date of birth (Persian), dates of service, card issuance date, rank, photo, and contain a chip. Older cards include detailed biographical information such as blood type, hair color, weight, height, eye color, physical defects, and sometimes level of education.  Exemption cards show the reason for exemption in the usual place of service dates, and these cards also have a different photo border from service cards.

‘… Certified copies are not available.

‘… Military service completion and exemption cards and reliable English translations are readily available in Iran. Although translations tend to be accurate, it is recommended that both the translation and the original card are reviewed.’^{[footnote 64]}

10.4.2 The Military Records tab on the U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country webpage for Iran also provided information about alternate documents that may be available in lieu of an exemption card.

10.4.3 An undated webpage published by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) Consular Affairs, Mumbai, referring to the renewal of a military service completion or exemption card, stated:

‘Iranians abroad can refer to the Iranian missions of Iran abroad along [with] their Documents to renew the old completion or exemption Card for military service.

‘After filling [in] the forms, the relevant documents should be attested as a true copy. As well the power of attorney should be confirmed to any person in Iran (parents do not need a power of attorney) so that the matter can be followed up by [an] attorney along [with] documents and [an] original exemption or exemption card through +10 police centres.

‘It should also be noted that if the applicant is present in Iran with the original documents, he can personally follow up on +10 by referring to the police centres.’^{[footnote 65]}

10.4.4 The IRI Consular Affairs, Mumbai, webpage also provided information on the documents that an applicant from abroad would be required to submit with an application for the renewal of their military service completion or exemption card.

10.4.5 The January 2023 FP article stated: ‘Identifying and distinguishing between IRGC members and conscripts is a straightforward process. The former, namely IRGC members who are proactive recruits of the Guard, do not receive their “end of military service” card (cart-e payan-e khetmat) — a legal document all men in Iran are required to have — until they retire. Conscripts receive this card after completing their compulsory military service.’^{[footnote 66]}

10.4.6 On 16 February 2023, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRBC) published a response to a request for information about military identification for active and completed military service, including military cards and whether they were used as identity cards. The response, which cited various sources, including oral sources, stated:

‘In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an associate fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (TWI), who specializes in security and defence affairs of Iran and the Persian Gulf, indicated that the official name of military service completion cards is “Exigency (Compulsory) Military Service Completion Card” … The same source added that in 2011, new “smart” military service completion cards were “rolled out” and authorities initiated a program to replace all existing service completion cards that were issued between 1981 and 2010; the program continued until March 2020 – after which point these “old” cards became no longer valid – and is reported to have replaced over 10 million old cards with smart cards. The Associate Fellow indicated that those still in possession of an old “paper” card can still apply for, and receive, a new card. Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.’^{[footnote 67]}

10.4.7 While the IRBC response referred to attached examples of smart military service completion cards, CPIT was unable to access these examples. However, citing information provided by the Associate Fellow, the response also provided a description of the cards:

‘Smart service completion cards are “very similar” in dimension to a standard credit card and are made of polyvinyl chloride acetate (PVCA). The front of the card displays the following information:

• ‘The cardholder’s photograph, which is “only a headshot”;
• ‘A unique card number;
• ‘The cardholder’s national card number;
• ‘The date of issuance of the card;
• ‘The cardholder’s first and last name;
• ‘The cardholder’s service rank;
• ‘The cardholder’s father’s given name;
• ‘The cardholder’s birth certificate number;
• ‘The cardholder’s birth date;
• ‘The cardholder’s service start date;
• ‘The cardholder’s service end date.

‘The reverse side of smart cards does not include any information about the individual. In contrast to old service completion cards, smart cards “all look the same” regardless of the branch or unit to which the individual belonged.’^{[footnote 68]}

10.4.8 The IRBC response also stated:

‘In correspondence with the Research Directorate, representatives from Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI; also known as HRA) – a US-based NGO which also operates its own news agency, Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) – stated that current military service completion cards indicate the “military force,” such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC), or the army, or the police force, but do not reveal the person’s rank (and specialty), such as the artillery or armoured unit. In contrast, the Associate Fellow indicated that smart service completion cards do not specify the individual’s service branch, but do list their rank. The same source added that the individual’s listed rank “usually gives away whether the person served in Artesh (the Iranian army) or the IRGC”.

‘According to the Associate Fellow, smart service completion cards contain a chip storing personal and service information, including “confidential service and security information”. The same source added that these cards are also equipped with a “perforated stamp on the top left side of the card”. The Associate Fellow stated that the information stored in the card’s security features can reportedly only be “decoded and read” by “highly secured readers”.’^{[footnote 69]}

10.4.9 For information about the ‘old’ military service completion cards, see section 2.1.2 of the February 2023 IRBC response.

10.4.10 The IRBC response also covered military service exemption cards. It stated:

‘The Associate Fellow notes that in accordance with the “new smart card system,” all service exemption cards “now look identical,” and one could not “distinguish (the) service branch without using a special card reader”. According to the Associate Fellow, military service exemption cards have the same appearance as service completion cards, with the exception that service details are replaced with a single line identifying the type of service exemption.

‘HRAI indicated that a person’s reason for exemption is “also specified” on their exemption cards in the form of a corresponding “code”.’^{[footnote 70]}

10.4.11 The IRBC response added:

‘According to the Associate Fellow, military service completion cards and service exemption cards can “certainly” be used as identity cards, “especially” for people who do not possess a driver’s license. The same source added, however, that these cards “should be considered as secondary ID cards,” since the national ID card has “now practically replac(ed)” the birth certificate booklet as the “main identity paper” in Iran. HRAI stated that military service completion cards are used as identification cards in Iran.

‘… The Associate Fellow stated that if an individual loses their service completion card or service exemption card, they can apply for a replacement card, which are “clearly” identified as such on the card.’^{[footnote 71]}

10.4.12 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘Secondary forms of documentation, like military exemption cards, are technically more vulnerable to fraud [than the main Iranian identity documents such as birth certificates, national identity cards, and passports], as they have less robust security features, but are expensive to obtain.’^{[footnote 72]}

10.4.13 In February 2025, Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), a Norway-based ‘non-profit, human rights organization’^{[footnote 73]}, and ECPM (Together Against the Death Penalty), a French professional association that campaigns against the death penalty^{[footnote 74] [footnote 75]}, jointly published an ‘Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran – 2024’ (the IHRNGO and ECPM 2024 death penalty report). The report, which cited various sources, noted that a person deemed mentally unfit to serve mandatory military service was issued with a certificate of such, called a ‘red card’.^{[footnote 76]}

10.4.14 See also Exemptions.

10.5 Buy-outs

10.5.1 The December 2024 Iran News Wire article stated:

‘In 2021, to prevent financial collapse, Iran’s parliament passed a budget law allowing young men to buy their way out of “mandatory military service” by paying substantial fees.

‘On January 29, 2022, the spokesperson for the Budget Integration Committee announced the details:

• ‘Individuals with associate degrees or lower had to pay 250 million tomans [approximately £1,425 GBP^{[footnote 77]} (1 toman = 10 rials^{[footnote 78]}].
• ‘Bachelor’s and master’s degree holders were required to pay 400 million tomans [approximately £2,281 GBP^{[footnote 79]}].
• ‘General practitioners and holders of doctoral degrees needed to pay 600 million tomans [approximately £3,422 GBP^{[footnote 80]}].

‘This decision faced severe criticism from young people and their families, citing issues such as high suicide rates among conscripts and wasted time. Additional grievances included forced labor, gender discrimination, depression, and denial of basic citizenship rights.’^{[footnote 81]} It should be noted that the above currency conversion has been carried out using July 2026 exchange rates, which may differ significantly from the exchange rates in January 2022, when the proposed buy-out amounts (in the local Iranian currency (tomans)) were announced.

10.5.2 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated:

‘In the past, schemes existed in which a person could pay to avoid service. A scheme to pay for exemption was announced in January 2022 but quickly withdrawn after a public backlash where the scheme was seen as allowing the rich to avoid service. In the past people could pay fines for absence from service, which allowed wealthy people to evade service. Exemptions could be “purchased” legally until 2019, through payment of an absence fine. This practice was common among wealthier Iranians. Now, wealthy Iranians, particularly those with teenage sons, may attempt migration to avoid drafting. It is common for wealthier Iranians to pay a bribe of about USD 10,000 [approximately £7,500 GBP^{[footnote 82]}] to avoid military service.’^{[footnote 83]}

10.5.3 The September 2025 Fararu News article stated:

‘… [J]ust a few hours after some media outlets reported that the Budget Integration Commission had agreed to a plan allowing absent conscripts to buy out their military service, Rahim Zare, a member of the Parliament’s Budget Integration Commission, denied this news. Earlier, the media had written that the commission had approved the plan and that “married people and those over 35 would be prioritized, and the price for buying service would vary based on educational level.”

‘Zare said in response to this news: “Some media outlets, without paying attention to the parliament’s internal regulations, spread news that isn’t true. According to the rules, the budget integration commission currently doesn’t have a meeting, and such a resolution hasn’t been on the agenda.”

‘… This plan, under the name “buying service” or “penalty for absent conscripts,” was implemented from 2015 to 2018. Before that, there were also plans for conscripts who had been absent for more than five years or were living abroad, but none of them succeeded and they didn’t even make it to the Parliament floor.

‘Mohsen Zanganeh, another member of the Integration Commission, said the reason for this issue is the opposition of the Armed Forces General Staff and explained: “Allowing the purchase of military service is basically not within the parliament’s authority, and the final decision will be up to the Armed Forces General Staff. No clause on this matter has been included in the 1404 [March 2025 to March 2026] budget law.”

‘It seems that as long as the Armed Forces General Staff opposes it, the likelihood of bringing back the option to buy military service into the law is very low.

‘Legally speaking, even if such a plan is passed by parliament and approved by the Guardian Council, drafting the executive regulations would be up to the Armed Forces General Staff and the Military Service Organization.

‘… In the 2019 budget, the parliament completely removed the service purchase plan. Opponents believed this law was a kind of injustice. One of the MPs at the time said, “This law had created a way for people to avoid service for a while and then dodge the military by paying money.” Another reason for the opposition was economic discrimination; because paying the fine wasn’t possible for lower-class people, only the wealthy could take advantage of it.’^{[footnote 84]}

10.5.4 The Fararu News article also stated: ‘Now that military and security sensitivities and the shadow of a possible war loom over the country, the topic of buying out military service will be more complicated than ever; a topic that will be of special importance for a portion of the absent conscripts, estimated between 3 to 4 million people.’^{[footnote 85]}

10.5.5 On 11 November 2025, Press TV, an Iranian news network that broadcasts in English^{[footnote 86]}, published an article entitled ‘Iran mulls plan to exempt diaspora investors from military service’ which stated:

‘Iran is considering a plan to exempt diaspora investors from conscription as part of efforts to attract more funding for development projects from wealthy Iranians living abroad.

‘Head of the Organization for Investment, Economic & Technical Assistance of Iran (OIETAI) said on Tuesday [11 November 2025] that waiving military service requirements for Iranians residing abroad is part of the country’s policies to attract more diaspora investors.

‘… He said that the new scheme would primarily target the Iranians based in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, China, and India.’^{[footnote 87]} CPIT was unable to find any further information in the sources consulted (see Bibliography) to indicate that these plans have ever been implemented.

10.5.6 An undated IRI Consular Affairs, Mumbai, webpage entitled ‘Buying Military Service’ (translated into English) stated: ‘According to current regulations, buying military service is not possible. If a new guideline is issued, the matter will be communicated to our dear compatriots.’^{[footnote 88]}

11. Exemptions

11.1 Provisions

11.1.1 Article 1 of the Public Service Duty Law (see also Military and armed service laws) states that, ‘… no one subject to compulsory military service can be exempted from it except in cases explicitly stated in this law.’^{[footnote 89]}

11.1.2 Chapter 4 of the Public Service Duty Law covers exemptions, with part 1 covering educational exemptions, part 2 covering medical exemptions, and part 3 covering medical exemptions, and part 3 covering ‘caregiving’ exemptions.^{[footnote 90]}

11.1.3 Article 11 of the Public Service Duty Law states: ‘In times of war and general mobilization, if necessary, those who were exempted from mandatory service during peacetime for any reason will also be called to service and will receive the same benefits and rights as those in their reserve class.’^{[footnote 91]}

11.1.4 The February 2023 IRBC response stated: ‘Sources report that in cases of wartime mobilization, an individual exempted from military service “can” be “called to service” or will be “required to report for duty”. The Associate Fellow added that the individual could have their service exemption card “revoked” in such circumstances.’^{[footnote 92]}

11.1.5 The April 2023 IRNA article stated: ‘The law grants exemptions based on an individual’s age or medical conditions, among other factors. The exemptions, however, are mostly only valid in peacetime and those exempted would be called up for duty in case of a wartime mobilization.’^{[footnote 93]} CPIT was, however, unable to find any information in the sources consulted (see Bibliography) to indicate that people previously exempted from military service were called up, during the 2025 or 2026 conflicts in Iran.

11.1.6 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘Conscientious objection is not possible and military service is compulsory, although some exemptions do exist.’^{[footnote 94]}

11.1.7 The November 2023 ISNA article stated:

‘The Social Deputy of the Public Conscription Organization also talked about the types of exemptions: medical exemptions, caretaking exemptions, and special cases like individuals under protection or caretaking a needy father, and a mother without a husband under certain conditions are all considered military exemptions. There’s also exemption from combat duties for soldiers with limited illnesses, and all information can be found on … public information websites. The number 096480 is also available nationwide from 8 AM to 1:30 PM, and in the afternoon from 2:30 PM to 5 PM. For any complaints, the inspection department of the Public Conscription Organization will respond.’^{[footnote 95]}

11.1.8 The Ekhtebar publication of the Public Service Duty Law states: ‘Article 47 - All individuals who are called up for compulsory military service, as well as those who are exempted from service, must undergo military and disciplinary training, both general and specialized, according to the guidelines prepared by the General Staff in cooperation with the armed forces organizations and approved by the Commander-in-Chief …’^{[footnote 96]}

11.2 Gender and sexual orientation

11.2.1 An article published by Amwaj.media, a UK-based news website that covers Iran, Iraq and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula^{[footnote 97]}, on 26 February 2025, noted that women have been exempted from mandatory conscription since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.^{[footnote 98]}

11.2.2 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘Transgender people who can provide a certified forensic doctor’s report are exempt from military service. Gay men are also exempted from military service; however, as homosexuality is a crime in Iran, few men seek an exemption on this basis.’^{[footnote 99]}

11.2.3 An article published by HRANA on 16 May 2024 noted that homosexual and transgender individuals were exempted from military service due to their being classified in Iran as having a mental disorder.^{[footnote 100]}

11.2.4 For more information about exemption from military service based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, see Country Policy and Information Note, Iran: Sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

11.3Medical grounds

11.3.1 The Ekhtebar publication of the Public Service Duty Law tates:

‘Article 39 – Conscripts are classified into four categories based on physical condition and mental and physical aptitude, as follows:

‘1 - Those who are physically and mentally healthy and capable of performing service.

‘2 - Those who are not fully healthy due to a physical defect or illness but are capable of performing non-combat service.

‘3 - Those who are temporarily unable to perform compulsory service due to developmental issues or illness.

‘4 - Conscripts who are permanently unable to perform compulsory service due to a physical defect or illness, either physical or mental.

‘… Article 40 - Individuals who are temporarily unable to serve in mandatory military service due to illness will be given a temporary medical exemption for the period determined by the Medical Council, which in any case will not exceed one year. In the second year, if the illness continues, the same procedure will be followed, and if in the third year they are still unable to serve, they will be permanently exempt from mandatory military service.

‘… Note 2 - In times of war or general mobilization, individuals who were exempt from mandatory military service in peacetime due to medical reasons or dependency can also be called to service.

‘Article 41 - All conscripts must be examined by a physician from the armed forces before being sent for service. If there is no physician from the armed forces, they should be examined by civilian doctors who are committed and whose qualifications have been approved by the police force.’^{[footnote 101]}

11.3.2 Note 1 to Article 39 of the Public Service Duty Law notes that medical exemption criteria are set out in the Regulations for Medical Examination and Exemption of Compulsory Military Service Conscripts, Approved in 2014, published by Ekhtebar on 1 March 2015.^{[footnote 102]}

11.3.3 Note 3 to Article 39 of the Public Service Duty Law states that a person addicted to drugs falls under Article 39(3) of the same law (i.e. someone who is temporarily unable to perform compulsory service, see paragraph 11.3.1).^{[footnote 103]} Note 4 to Article 39 sets out a requirement of the armed forces to refer such a person to the relevant authorities for rehabilitation which, for on the first occasion, forms part of mandatory service after which a discharge card may be issued in the event that a certification of addiction treatment is provided.^{[footnote 104]}

11.3.4 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘People diagnosed with a “physical or mental illnesses” may be exempted temporarily or permanently from compulsory military service, depending on the nature of the “physical or mental condition” with which they are living.’^{[footnote 105]}

11.3.5 On 8 October 2023, the IRNA published an article entitled ‘Getting a tattoo doesn’t exempt you from military service’ (translated into English) which stated:

‘According to IRNA from FARAJA, Hossein Zahedi [the Deputy of Public Military Service^{[footnote 106]}] stated on Sunday [8 October 2023]: Recently, rumors and misunderstandings about medical exemptions due to tattoos have spread on social media; however, tattoos are not a reason for military exemption. People with tattoos, like other eligible individuals, must be examined by the trusted doctors of the Public Service Organization when they reach conscription age, and then they are sent for military service.

‘He continued: If a doctor determines that someone has neurological or psychiatric disorders that could cause serious harm to themselves or others, individuals, whether tattooed or not, are referred to the psychiatric and neurological medical commission. They are thoroughly evaluated by psychologists and neurologists, and if approved by the medical council, they are eligible for military exemption; otherwise, they are sent for military service.’^{[footnote 107]}

N.B. the information quoted above was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

11.3.6 On 15 December 2024, the IRNA published an article entitled ‘The guidelines for medical exemptions from military service have been issued’ (translated into English) which stated:

‘The head of the General Staff Service Organization of NAJA said: In order to standardize the way medical cases of conscripts are handled, the guideline for implementing Article 43 of military service medical exemptions has been announced.

‘… [W]ith the implementation of this guideline, from now on, referring conscripts for more specialized review at the Supreme Medical Council will be done under specific regulations.

‘Sardar Mehri added: Applying Article 43 of the Military Service Medical Exemption Law is within the authority of the Head of the Public Duty Organization and is mostly delegated to provincial deputies to prevent schemes and fraud in public duty matters. They can, according to the issued guidelines, challenge the decision made by the county medical council (permanent exemption, temporary exemption, exemption from combat duties, and no service restrictions) and refer the case to the Supreme Medical Council.

‘He noted that if during the medical review process by the conscript, the hospital, treatment centers, specialist doctor, or the initial examination doctor, there is any flaw or issue with the issued decision or the conscript’s illness, and this becomes clear to the General Duty Department, then according to Article 43 of medical exemption, the case will be reviewed again by the Supreme Medical Council.’^{[footnote 108]}

11.4 Non-medical grounds

11.4.1 The Ekhtebar publication of the Public Service Duty Law states:

‘Article 31 - Students of schools and higher education institutions affiliated with or approved by the Ministry of Education, as well as students of domestic or foreign public or private universities approved by the Ministries of Science and Health, and seminary students who reach or have reached the age of conscription during their studies, are exempt from mandatory military service as long as they continue their education.

‘… Article 33 – Issuing academic exemptions for students, university students, and religious seminar students is contingent on providing proof of enrollment from the relevant authorities, and its validity extends up to one year after the issuance of the graduation certificate for each level of study.

‘Note 1 – The maximum educational exemption for students is until the age of twenty, and for each level of study: 2.5 years for an associate degree, 3 years for non-continuous bachelor’s and master’s degrees, 5 years for continuous bachelor’s, 6 years for continuous master’s, 8 years for continuous medical doctorate, and 6 years for specialized doctorate.

‘Note 2 – In urgent cases, with the assessment and announcement of the Special Cases Commission of the relevant universities, a maximum of one year can be added to the above duration.

‘… Article 35 - Diploma holders who are accepted within a maximum of one year after graduation into one of the universities and higher education institutions in the country that are approved by the Ministries of Science and Health, can use the study exemption as long as they are engaged in their studies according to Note (1) of Article (33), provided they do not have any unexcused absences. This exemption is given only once for each educational level. 

‘Note 1 - The study exemption for students who have withdrawn from their studies can only be extended once during their study period. 

‘Note 2 - The discharge of conscripts without initial absence during service for continuing education at the bachelor’s level and above is allowed, except in emergencies and wartime.’^{[footnote 109]}

11.4.2 The Public Service Duty Law signposts to the Executive Regulations for Educational Exemption (Mandatory Military Service), Approved on 20 November 2013 by the Cabinet, published by Ekhtebar on 6 March 2023.^{[footnote 110]}

11.4.3 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘School and university students are exempted from military service temporarily, but must attend once they have completed their studies. Men undergoing training in certain professions, such as teachers, are exempted from military service, but must commit to working for the government for a specified period of time once they complete their studies (usually 5-8 years).’^{[footnote 111]}

11.4.4 An article published by the ISNA on 25 September 2024 stated: ‘After finishing high school, guys [sic] have a year to enroll in a university, and if they don’t, they have to go for military service.’^{[footnote 112]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

11.4.5 The December 2024 Iran News Wire article stated: ‘To avoid conscription, some individuals extend their university studies, even in fields with limited practical value.’^{[footnote 113]}

11.4.6 On 9 July 2023, the Mehr News Agency published an article entitled ‘A senior official announced; 25 scientific projects by Iranian elites abroad have replaced military service’ (translated into English) which stated:

‘The deputy of the Center for Scientific, Technological, and Knowledge-Based Economy Interactions of the Presidency [Seyyed Ali Hosseini] said: Iranian elites abroad have defended 25 scientific projects as an alternative to military service and are now in the process of receiving their discharge cards.

‘… He added that these projects are considered specialized alternatives to military service …

‘Hosseini continued: The target audience for this plan are graduates from the top 100 universities, or individuals working in cutting-edge technology companies abroad, or entrepreneurs themselves who serve as CEOs of companies.

‘… [I]ndividuals can upload their resumes on … [a] platform, as well as proposals and plans they want to implement in Iran … and if approved, the projects are defined in cooperation with the General Staff. From the time the project is defined, these individuals are exempt from military service. 

‘According to him, the project duration is 12 to 24 months, and these individuals must submit 3 progress reports on the project. Once the project is defended and approved, they receive a scientific project completion card as a substitute for military service.

‘Hosseini pointed out: … Since last year, around 300 projects have been approved … Out of these 300 projects, 25 were defended and are in the [discharge] card printing stage …

‘… Hosseini said: … This scheme is a specialized project that serves as an alternative to military service, and it should not be felt that these individuals are exempt from service.’^{[footnote 114]}

11.4.7 The August 2024 Donya-e-Eqtesad article, translated into English, stated:

‘The head of the General Directorate of Public Service of the FARAJA about the Champion Soldier Law said: According to this law, all individuals who achieve first to third places in any sport can, by corresponding with the Ministry of Sport and Youth, have special case cards issued for them and can benefit from the Champion Soldier Law. 

‘Sardar Mehri emphasized: Until last year [2023], more than 60 people have used this law and been exempted, and we are happy that the eligible individuals who participated in the Olympics in recent weeks can take advantage of this opportunity and benefit from the facilities and conditions created for them. 

‘He continued: Apart from the Olympics, individuals who win medals in Asian and international games can also benefit from this law.’^{[footnote 115]}

11.4.8 The Public Service Duty Law also states:

‘Article 44 - The following individuals, as applicable, are exempt from performing mandatory military service:

‘1 - The only male child who takes care of or looks after a father in need of care who is unable to manage his own affairs.

‘2 - The only caregiver or guardian of a mother without a husband.

‘3 - The only full brother who is the guardian of a sister without a father, husband, and non-ward male child.

‘4 - The only brother who is the guardian of an elder brother in need of care and without a father, husband, non-ward male child, or job.

‘5 - The only guardian of a brother under the age of eighteen.

‘6 - The only male grandchild who takes care of or looks after a grandfather without children or a grandmother without a husband and children.

‘7 - A person whose spouse has passed away and has minor children, as long as they have not remarried, or a spouse who became disabled after marriage and requires care.

‘8 - Regarding multiple brothers eligible for military service, if one of the brothers is enlisted, another brother can defer their enlistment until the first brother completes his service.

‘9 - For exemption from mandatory military service, if a family has two brothers who have already served, the Armed Forces General Staff will make the decision regarding exemption for any other family members.

’10 - One of the sons of a soldier who dies while on military service, or one of the male children of a family that has a child who died during military service.

‘… Article 44-bis - The way male children of aid recipients are exempted from military service is as follows:

‘1 - One of the male children of mothers without husbands, who are supported by the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation and the Welfare Organization, is exempt from compulsory military service.

‘2 - Those who have at least one disabled child are exempt from compulsory military service.

‘3 - Only sons of families with three or more daughters are exempt from compulsory military service.

‘4 - Those who marry disabled females with physical-motor disabilities are temporarily exempt from compulsory military service, and after five years of continuous marriage, the temporary exemption becomes permanent.

‘Article 45 - Individuals whose father, mother, child, brother, or sister were or become martyrs, veterans, prisoners of war, or missing in action in the path of achieving and sustaining the Islamic Revolution, and whose status is confirmed by the relevant organizations, are exempt from military service as follows:

‘1 - All male children of martyrs and missing persons are exempt from mandatory military service.

‘2 - For each martyr or freed prisoner with at least 24 months of captivity, or a veteran with at least 25% disability, or a missing person without a male child, one of their brothers is exempt from mandatory military service …

‘… ‘Note (added 2016) – The conditions for being recognized as a prisoner, missing in action, or disabled, and their families, will be outlined in the executive bylaw of this law.’^{[footnote 116]}

11.4.9 Articles 45(3) to 45(7) of the Public Service Duty Law, published by Ekhtebar, sets out other specific circumstances in which veterans or the male relative(s) (usually the child) of a veteran, martyr, or missing person, will be either exempt from mandatory military service, or entitled to a reduction of their duration of mandatory service.

11.4.10 The February 2023 IRBC response stated: ‘The Associate Fellow stated that types of exemption can include … “family sponsorship,” being a veteran, age criteria, being a family’s only son, or “special reasons”; the source noted that they were unaware of the specific criteria required to obtain exemption for “special reasons”.’^{[footnote 117]}

11.4.11 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘Those whose parents are living with a disability and those who are the only child of the family can be exempted from compulsory military service. War veterans may also apply to exempt their children from compulsory military service if the parent was injured during their military service.’^{[footnote 118]}

11.4.12 The September 2025 Fararu News article stated:

‘The exemption for the children of veterans has been in place since 1977 (1356 in the Iranian calendar) based on Article 45 of the Public Duty Law. According to this law, if a father or brother subject to service became a martyr, prisoner, disabled, or missing in action, the male children could get exempted or receive certain benefits. In 2017 (1396), the parliament also approved that children of veterans could receive an exemption card by meeting two conditions: “no absence from service” and “service of the veteran parent,” and by paying five million tomans [approximately £27 GBP^{[footnote 119]}].

‘Additionally, the caregiving exemption was implemented based on Article 6 of the Welfare Law and the agreement between the Welfare Organization and the Military Service Organization. This exemption applies to those who have one or two family members under the care of the Welfare Organization.’^{[footnote 120]}

11.4.13 The April 2023 IRNA article stated:

‘“With the approval of the Supreme Leader and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, all absent and non-absent conscripts and active duty personnel who have at least four children, and all absent and non-absent conscripts and active duty personnel who are at least 40 years of age and have three children are exempt from compulsory military service,” the general staff’s human resources said in a statement on Sunday [30 April 2023].

‘An exemption card will be issued for eligible conscripts after they have completed basic and complementary training courses at Iran’s voluntary Basij force, the statement added.

‘Observers say the new exemption rules are in line with the Iranian government’s policy of boosting the nation’s declining birthrate.’^{[footnote 121]}

11.4.14 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘From September 2024, an exemption will be introduced for those over 35 with at least two children.’^{[footnote 122]}

11.4.15 An IRNA article, published on 23 October 2023, stated: ‘Conscripts and service personnel who have four or more children can benefit from … exemption without any age requirement, while other conscripts and those with three children can also be exempted if they are at least 40 years old, by completing the training commitment form.’^{[footnote 123]}

N.B. the information quoted above was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

11.4.16 The September 2025 Fararu News article stated: ‘Among other recent approvals, there is an exemption for non-absent conscripts over the age of 35 who have at least two children, which has been in effect since September 2024. Currently, the exemption for fathers with three or more children is valid only until the end of 2025.’^{[footnote 124]}

11.4.17 On 27 June 2026, the ISNA published an article entitled ‘Last chance to take advantage of the exemption for having three or more children …’ (translated into English), which stated:

‘According to ISNA, the General Staff of the Armed Forces’ Public Service Organization announced in a statement: Individuals eligible for exemption due to having three or more children who met the conditions for this exemption by the end of March 2026 but did not manage to submit their request, only have until the end of September this year [2026] to register their request through the Police +10 electronic service offices. 

‘All absentee and non-absentee conscripts and service personnel who have four or more children by the end of [1404, March] 2026 are exempt from military service without any age condition. Other absentee and non-absentee conscripts and service personnel who have three children by the end of [1404, March] 2026 are exempt as long as they have completed [sic] at least 40 years of age.’^{[footnote 125]}

11.4.18 A Mehr News Agency article, which was written in Farsi and published on 4 August 2026, reported that the military exemption for those with 3 and 4 children was extended until the end of 2028.^{[footnote 126]} The same article noted that according to the most recent statistics, from the FARAJA Public Duty Organization system, more than 190,000 people had been able to benefit from this military exemption so far (as of August 2026).^{[footnote 127]}

12. Types and conditions of service

12.1 Deployment and duties

12.1.1 The Ekhtebar publication of the Public Service Duty Law states:

‘Article 48 - Conscripts, based on their educational qualifications and the availability of organizational positions, after completing the necessary training period, achieve one of the following ranks:

‘1 - Conscripts without a high school diploma reach one of the ranks from private to corporal.

‘2 - Conscripts with a high school diploma reach one of the ranks of sergeant or combatant.

‘3 - Conscripts with an associate degree reach one of the ranks of warrant officer, combatant officer, or second lieutenant.

‘4 - Conscripts with a bachelor’s degree reach the rank of first lieutenant.

‘5 - Conscripts with a master’s degree or higher reach the rank of captain.

‘Note 1: Reaching the ranks of Third Sergeant and higher requires completing the necessary specialized training course and possessing the required qualifications.

‘Note 2: Conscripts who do not have the necessary qualifications to reach the above-mentioned ranks will be assigned lower appropriate ranks, down to the rank of Soldier, based on the instructions prepared and announced by the General Staff.’^{[footnote 128]}

12.1.2 The January 2023 FP article stated:

‘To prevent outsiders from diluting the ideological commitment of other recruits, in 2010 the IRGC instituted a new system for evaluation and appointment that sought to restrict its conscript intake to active members of the Basij, the IRGC’s paramilitary militia. The Basij operates as the IRGC’s voluntary civil militia and functions as the enforcer of the regime’s hard-line ideology over Iranian society. All of its members undergo ideological indoctrination at the behest of the IRGC, and some have even participated in the Guard’s terrorist operations abroad.

‘Therefore, unlike in past decades, when conscripts could complete their required military service with the IRGC, since 2010 more than 70 percent of draftees in the IRGC have been active members of the Basij … In Iran’s major cities, where demand for IRGC military services is higher than elsewhere, this has even reached 100 percent of draftees. These draftees are conscripted through Basij district zones and regions and are later deployed to different branches or agencies of the IRGC. As all active Basij members above 15 years old are required to complete two months of military training by the IRGC as part of their service, the IRGC later exempts them from basic training as part of conscription.

‘… But what does this mean for the remaining 30 percent of the conscript intake? Are they just ordinary Iranians who have … been deployed to the Guard? The answer to this is more nuanced than “yes” or “no.”

‘The intake from this remaining 30 percent can be broken down into two categories.

‘The first are university graduates with a master’s or Ph.D. Due to their postgraduate degrees and subject-matter specialties, these draftees complete their two-year service by applying for desk jobs through directives (amriyeh) from different ministries and agencies. Each draftee has a personal choice on where to apply for their amriyeh. These include the health ministry, the industry ministry, and the defense ministry and the IRGC’s affiliated organizations (cultural, political, economic).

‘Those who serve their amriyeh in the IRGC will have made the proactive decision to work for the IRGC’s branches during their two years of conscription … Determining whether an individual served his amriyeh in the IRGC is achievable through the relevant documentation, including the official letter of amriyeh and pay slips. Those who have proactively chosen to serve their amriyeh in the IRGC will have an official letter from the Guard and will have been on the IRGC’s payroll during their two years of conscription.

‘Finally, in some unprivileged and poor areas, due to the number of Basij members being insufficient, the IRGC also accepts non-Basij soldiers. They are usually assigned to the IRGC by the NAJA Public Conscription Organization, which is responsible for distributing people in different armed forces … [T]hese individuals constitute a maximum 20 percent of the intake. These draftees will have no amriyeh documentation, and almost all in this group have only a high school diploma or below.’^{[footnote 129]}

12.1.3 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘Conscripts do not get a choice of the type of service they undertake or the location … Religious minorities are not exempt from service, but in general cannot occupy positions of authority or become career officers … Men with a Masters degree are usually given office jobs.’^{[footnote 130]}

12.1.4 An IRNA article, published on 22 October 2023, stated: ‘… [S]oldiers, both local and non-local, are performing their duties in various missions across different regions of the country … They are responsible for operational areas, deprived regions, harsh climates, or border security.’^{[footnote 131]}

12.1.5 On November 2023, Iran International published an article entitled ‘Iranian Military Introduces Salary And Service Reforms’ which stated: ‘Unofficial data suggests that Iran has approximately 400,000 to 500,000 conscripts, with the majority serving in the traditional Army. Some individuals with connections have the opportunity to serve in the Revolutionary Guard … There are also conscripts assigned to national police units, often engaged in suppressing protests.’^{[footnote 132]}

12.1.6 Citing Hossein Zahedi, the Deputy of Public Military Service, the November 2023 ISNA article stated that,

‘… the conscription organization is one of the supra-agencies responsible for handling the affairs of conscripts before they enter service, determining their status, and assigning soldiers to their service units.

‘… The minimum training for the armed forces’ officers who come from military universities is four years, and if they went for an associate degree, they get more than two years of training. Also, non-commissioned officers have at least nine months of training, while conscripts receive a maximum of two months.

‘The Deputy for Social Affairs of the Public Conscription Organization of NAJA, referring to the large areas of land and water borders, admitted: to protect the borders, permanent forces are not enough; border soldiers undergo three months of training to stand against bandits and traffickers.’^{[footnote 133]}

12.1.7 The August 2024 Donya-e-Eqtesad article, translated into English, stated: ‘Sardar Mehri noted: … [I]ndividuals who are elite in science and technology only undergo 4 months of military training, and after that, they continue with their project or research plan. There’s no restriction for these people — they can carry out their research projects in offices or military units, and once their project is completed, they are issued their military service completion card.’^{[footnote 134]}

12.1.8 The September 2024 ISNA article stated:

‘… [T]here are different ways to go through [mandatory military service] …  Nowadays, the most popular way to serve is by getting a “military service amriyeh.” Those who don’t want to go through the usual process of serving in military bases can serve their military duty in government organizations and institutions that accept amriyeh. Getting an amriyeh allows conscripts to gain experience in a job they will serve in while completing their military service without wearing a military uniform.

‘By order of the Supreme Leader, administrative and government organizations can hire some of their needed employees through military service placements. According to this law, the relevant organization requests the General Staff of the Armed Forces to assign a soldier to work at that location. Of course, a soldier receiving such an assignment must first complete a 2-month military training course like everyone else, and then spend 22 months in the assigned organization [see also Duration] … Those subject to military service shouldn’t have any absenteeism if they want to serve through this program.’^{[footnote 135]}

12.1.9 On 19 May 2025, the Kurdistan Press Agency (Kurdpa), an independent news agency which focuses on Iranian Kurdistan^{[footnote 136]}, published an article which stated:

‘For Kurdish youth in Iran, especially if they are Sunni or follow other religions like Yarsan, military service is not just a compulsory experience — it’s completely subject to being labeled as terrorists and treated with security measures. [Keyvan] Samadi [a board member of Kurdpa who was arrested during the woman, life, freedom protests (a protest movement which began in September 2022, with the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman arrested in Tehran for allegedly violating Iran’s requirement that women cover their hair with a hijab^{[footnote 137]} and who was forced to serve 30 months of mandatory military service^{[footnote 138]} emphasizes that a Kurdish soldier, because of being Kurdish and belonging to another religion, is never allowed into sections like ideological-political units or security guards. This restriction is an unwritten but structured rule in the army, the Revolutionary Guards, and the police force. 

‘Also, a Kurdish soldier is never localized. Even if married, they are not allowed to serve in their hometown. In the rare cases where they do serve in the same city, they are completely barred from entering any sensitive or intelligence sections.

‘… Keyvan Samadi says … [h]e preferred to take extra service time but refused to take up the weapon they handed him in the name of the Islamic Republic.’^{[footnote 139]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

12.1.10 The ISW-CTP Iran update of 28 January 2026 noted that on the same date, the LEC announced that it was, ‘… allowing deployment delays, [and] assigning recruits to units based on skill sets …’^{[footnote 140]}

12.1.11 On 16 February 2026, Fararu News published an article about soldiers’ salaries which stated:

‘Service areas are divided into three categories …

‘1. Urban Area: Areas where service conditions are normal and calm. There is less operational or security threat. Major cities or administrative centers of the armed forces fall into this category …

‘2. Non-operational Areas: Areas where service conditions are slightly more difficult than urban areas, but soldiers are not engaged in active military operations. These areas are located in bases or remote garrisons with tougher living and working conditions …

‘3. Operational Areas: Areas exposed to military operations and high-risk conditions. Sensitive borders and bases in tough and dangerous conditions fall into this category …’^{[footnote 141]}

12.1.12 At the bottom of the Public Service Duty Law, Ekhtebar published the ‘Law on the Addition of Articles to the Law on Public Service’, approved on 16 April 1986, which made provision for deployment during wartime, stating: ‘Article 5 - Military and law enforcement organizations are required to make arrangements so that all conscripts serve at least one year of their mandatory service in operational areas during war or general mobilization, except in cases where, according to the Supreme Defense Council, the presence of individuals outside operational areas is necessary.’^{[footnote 142]} CPIT was unable to find any information in the sources consulted (see Bibliography) to indicate whether this wartime requirement has been exercised in practice.

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

12.2 Conditions and treatment

12.2.1 The Ekhtebar publication of the Public Service Duty Law states:

‘Article 49 - The pay of conscripted soldiers is at least sixty percent (60%) and at most ninety percent (90%) of the minimum salary of armed forces personnel under the Civil Service Management Law, which is determined by the General Staff according to their education and ranks and is approved by the Commander-in-Chief. 

‘Note 1 - Married conscripts or those who are heads of households receive an allowance equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the family allowance given to permanent armed forces personnel. 

‘Note 2 - During training and before receiving a rank or shoulder badge, conscripts receive fifty percent (50%) of the payment they will get in their first month of service. 

‘Note 3 - At the end of the compulsory service period, conscripts are paid an amount equal to one month of their salary as a bonus. 

‘Note 4 - Retirement benefits and the salary of the first month of service are not deducted from the monthly salaries of conscripted personnel.

‘Article 49 bis - The armed forces, affiliated organizations, and other agencies that have conscripted personnel are obliged, considering approved budgets, to provide appropriate living facilities, clothing, food, health, and medical care for them at their place of service …

‘… Article 50 - Officers and conscripted non-commissioned officers [NCOs], if sent on a mission, transferred, or serving in deprived, harsh weather areas, or operational zones, are entitled to the same special regulations and benefits as regular officers and permanent NCOs with respect to their salary. Other conscripted personnel in these cases will receive two-thirds of the special allowance and benefits of a regular second sergeant.

‘… Article 51 - Personnel on duty who participate in combat operations will receive an operational allowance according to the regulations prepared by the Ministries of Defense and the Revolutionary Guards and approved by the Supreme Defense Council.’^{[footnote 143]}

12.2.2 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated: ‘Conditions can be very harsh, especially in remote areas but the experience of conscripts differs depending on where they are deployed and what kind of work they do.’^{[footnote 144]}

12.2.3 The November 2023 ISNA article stated:

‘… [T]his year the salary adjustment was based on the place of service, whether local or non-local, marital status, children, and education level …

‘… [Hossein Zahedi] stated that work hours for soldiers vary depending on the location and unit of service, and added: Married soldiers are placed in training locations close to their or their spouse’s residence from the start, otherwise transfer is possible.

‘He also mentioned that service time is reduced for each child and emphasized that insurance has been provided for soldiers and their dependents.’^{[footnote 145]}

12.2.4 The November 2023 Iran International article stated:

‘Iran has introduced a new salary structure for its soldiers, taking into account various factors such as the place of service, marital status, and the number of children.

‘Soldiers will now receive variable monthly salaries ranging from $60 [approximately £45 GBP^{[footnote 146]} ] to a maximum of $180 [approximately £135 GBP^{[footnote 147]}], according to Hossein Zahedi, the Deputy of Public Military Service. The current minimum wage in Iran is around $150 [approximately £112 GBP^{[footnote 148]}] a month with the average income between $150-250 [between approximately £112 GBP and £187 GBP].^{[footnote 149]}

‘The change follows the legal requirement that soldiers should receive a minimum of 60% of the minimum official employee salary and a maximum of 90%. Zahedi explained that the aim is to ensure fair and targeted compensation for the country’s military personnel.’^{[footnote 150]}

12.2.5 The same Iran International article noted that better conditions were offered by the IRGC compared with serving in the traditional Army.^{[footnote 151]}

12.2.6 Another Iran International article, published on 22 January 2024, which reported about the arrest of a conscript after he shot and killed 5 colleagues in the ‘squad room’ while on duty, for reasons that were still under investigation, stated that: ‘The mandatory 21 to 24-month service has faced criticism due to the physical and psychological pressures on soldiers, sometimes leading to outcomes such as suicide or violent acts.’^{[footnote 152]}

12.2.7 The same Iran International article also stated: ‘In a similar incident last year, a soldier in a barracks in the city of Deylam killed four other soldiers after taking them hostage. Iranian media attributed the soldier’s motives for the killings and hostage-taking to not having been allowed to take leave.’^{[footnote 153]}

12.2.8 The February 2024 Iran International article stated:

‘While exact statistics on soldier suicides are unavailable, media and social activists in Iran have raised concerns about the rising trend. In a report two years ago, Shargh newspaper highlighted that besides actual suicides, around 15 percent of soldiers have suicidal thoughts, reflecting a troubling reality. Compulsory military service in Iran, spanning nearly a century, adds to the complexity of the situation. An estimated three million soldiers are currently considered fugitives from service …’^{[footnote 154]}

12.2.9 The June 2024 EUAA Country Focus report, citing information obtained in March 2024 from an Associate Professor at the department of social work, Linnaeus University, Sweden, ‘with extensive experience on statelessness and Kurdish minorities’^{[footnote 155]} stated: ‘IRGC and Basij do not use force to recruit their members … and the Basij use financial incentives as a tool to attract and recruit individuals.’^{[footnote 156]}

12.2.10 The June 2024 ISNA article, citing the Head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces in Kermanshah, stated:

‘… Over the past years, soldiers’ salaries, especially for married soldiers, have increased quite well. If someone is married and goes to serve in the military, their place of service should be in the city where their spouse lives. In addition, due to marriage and for each child, time is deducted from their military service, and three days a week after office hours they can go home.

‘According to this official, the salary increase has significantly reduced the number of soldiers who desert.

‘… [He] also stated that people can file complaints against military units in two ways: visiting the military prosecutor’s office in person or going to judicial service offices and submitting the complaint electronically are the two ways for people to register complaints against military units.

‘The prosecutor of the military … in the province said that dealing with cases involving armed forces personnel is done quickly, noting: The average time to handle each case is about a month, and if it takes longer, it is checked why a verdict hasn’t been issued yet.’^{[footnote 157]}

12.2.11 The September 2024 ISNA article stated:

‘Significant salary increases for soldiers, along with training and deployment in specialized armed forces projects, have made conscripts much more motivated to serve in the military.

‘… The Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran has set up plans to make it easier for men to fulfill their military service, so that conscripts can use their knowledge and skills to serve more effectively and comfortably in the armed forces units, and build a better career future for themselves …

‘… The Skilled Soldier Program, or the training course specifically for soldiers, started in 2017. This program is one of the initiatives of the Technical and Vocational Training Organization aimed at developing soldiers’ talents during their service. In this course, some job skills are taught based on the needs of society and the soldiers’ interests. Since all men have to serve in the military at some point in their lives, having the Skilled Soldier Program means they can easily enter the job market after their service, using the skills they have learned. One of the benefits of the Skilled Soldier Program is that skilled soldiers are guaranteed that after their service, they will be employed either in areas related to their learned skills or in the Technical and Vocational Training Organization.

‘In this regard, Commander “Mousa Kamali,” senior advisor to the commander of the Central Skill Training Headquarters for conscripted personnel of the Armed Forces, regarding what incentives each soldier can benefit from before being sent to the military, said: “Providing one month of reduced service, determining the service organization, postponing deployment for a maximum of six months, choosing the province of service, waiving additional service years for soldiers, using one month of leave, granting a higher rank, allowing skilled soldiers to serve as assistant instructors and trainers in the Armed Forces, specialized employment within the Armed Forces, and priority for employment in the Armed Forces are among the incentives available for skilled soldiers. But these soldiers should keep in mind that each person can use a maximum of one incentive. For this reason, during registration, applicants are asked to select up to four incentives based on priority for themselves. Ultimately, these incentives will be given to them based on the score they earn.”’^{[footnote 158]}

12.2.12 The same ISNA article also stated:

‘Mohsen Dehnavi, the vice-chair of the Budget Consolidation Committee for the 2024 budget bill in the 11th Parliament, announced in May this year (2024) on his personal page on X (formerly Twitter) that soldiers’ salaries would be raised again this year. He wrote: “The minimum salary for single soldiers in non-operational areas will increase to 5,460,000 tomans [approximately £30 GBP^{[footnote 159]}], and the minimum salary for married soldiers in operational areas will rise to 11,535,000 tomans [approximately £63 GBP^{[footnote 160]}]. Previously, these amounts had been announced as 4,400,000 tomans [approximately £24 GBP^{[footnote 161]}] and 9,000,000 tomans [approximately £49 GBP^{[footnote 162]}], respectively.”

‘Dehnavi’s remarks come while Rahim Zare, the spokesperson for the Budget Consolidation Committee for the 2024 budget bill in the 11th Parliament, had said during the budget review process that according to the Parliament’s decision, next year’s budget would set the minimum salary for single soldiers at 6,000,000 tomans [approximately £32 GBP^{[footnote 163]}] and for married soldiers without children at 9,000,000 tomans [approximately £48 GBP^{[footnote 164]}].

‘As Zare had said, in the [year] 1403 [March 2024 to March 2025] budget bill, the parliament approved that the minimum salary for single soldiers would be 60% of the minimum salary of regular personnel, the minimum salary for single soldiers in operational areas would be 75% of the minimum salary of regular personnel, and the minimum salary for married soldiers would be 90% of the minimum salary of regular personnel.’^{[footnote 165]}

12.2.13 The ISNA article added that, ‘… we are seeing support and skill-based programs for conscripts, allowing them to use this opportunity as a bridge to reach desirable jobs. Also, to improve soldiers’ welfare, their salaries have increased more than tenfold in the past 10 years to create more motivation for conscripts … [I]t is expected that the new law from the Islamic Consultative Assembly, called “Professional Military Service,” will be implemented as soon as possible.’^{[footnote 166]}

12.2.14 The May 2025 Kurdpa article stated:

‘Keyvan Samadi says: humiliation is part of the military’s control mechanism. For example, to get leave, shaving your head with a zero grade is mandatory. Otherwise, your leave won’t be approved. Or if in cases where they feel a soldier has learned the system and is less affected by pressures, they immediately transfer him to maintain the balance of power in the barracks. Or if a soldier comes from a farming family and requests leave during harvest season, they deliberately refuse, so that the command order isn’t questioned. Even if he loses morale due to financial or psychological problems, not only does he get no support, he might even be detained or sent to another unit.

‘… Samadi points out that during the training period, the sanitary conditions are really bad. The training is tough and there’s no chance to wash the blankets. Even if there is a moment, there aren’t any spare blankets available. If a soldier gets sick, they’re threatened that their training will be extended, and this threat makes many soldiers hide their illnesses. The result is the spread of diseases like scabies in the dorms — a common and recurring issue in many military bases.

‘… He says; in the police units, psychological pressure is combined with being denied leave, being forbidden to use a mobile phone, and a severe shortage of public telephones. Sometimes a soldier has to stay in the barracks for up to two months without leave. The only way to contact family is through a public phone, which are neither sufficient in number nor provide a safe space for conversation. Married soldiers or those with fiancés fall into constant stress from lack of communication and psychological loneliness.’^{[footnote 167]}

12.2.15 The ISW-CTP Iran update of 28 January 2026 stated: ‘The Iranian regime has offered incentives for conscripts, possibly to try to increase the size of the Iranian armed forces amid reports of some security forces members’ disaffection with the regime’s brutal crackdown on the recent [December 2025 to January 2026] protests.’^{[footnote 168]}

12.2.16 The February 2026 Fararu News article stated:

‘… [T]he harsher or more dangerous the [service] area, the higher the base pay. This difference is designed to compensate for difficult service conditions and to attract personnel to operational regions … [T]he base salary of each soldier [also] increases according to their military rank … The salary of married soldiers, in addition to the service area and military rank, also includes a family allowance. This group usually receives the highest salaries, and the salary ceiling for married soldiers in operational areas reaches the maximum set amount.’^{[footnote 169]}

12.2.17 The same Fararu News article also stated:

‘The increase in soldiers’ salaries in 2026 has been approved at 20% compared to 2025 in the budget bill. According to Fararu, this increase rate is the same for all soldiers regardless of marital status or place of service. So, all soldiers, whether single or married, serving in urban areas or in operational and non-operational regions, will receive a 20% salary increase equally.

‘… Single soldiers stationed in urban areas receive the basic soldier salary of 6.5 million tomans [approximately £35 GBP^{[footnote 170]}], while married soldiers [without children] in operational areas get the highest defined salary for soldiers, which is 16 million 800 thousand tomans [approximately £90 GBP^{[footnote 171]}].’^{[footnote 172]}

12.2.18 An Iran International article, published on 6 March 2026, stated:

‘Following the killing of Ali Khamenei and dozens of military commanders, some officers have abandoned their barracks, leaving soldiers in dangerous conditions and forcing them to remain on guard duty under ongoing bombardment, multiple conscripts have told Iran International. In a message, one soldier … criticized what he described as a lack of attention to the situation of ordinary troops and called for authorities to address their conditions.’^{[footnote 173]}

12.2.19 Another Iran International article, published on 12 March 2026, stated:

‘Iran’s armed forces are facing acute supply shortages … and deepening friction between the regular army (Artesh) and the Revolutionary Guards, according to informed sources who described a military system under growing strain as the war intensifies.

‘Among the most serious allegations are reports that wounded army personnel have been denied assistance by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), [and] that some frontline units are operating with minimal ammunition, food and drinking water …

‘Sources said that regular army units are suffering significant casualties but that IRGC personnel have refused to transport injured army soldiers to hospitals despite having access to medical facilities.

‘According to the sources, Revolutionary Guards officials rejected repeated army requests for assistance, citing shortages of ambulances and blood supplies.

‘… Even within IRGC missile units – traditionally among the best resourced parts of Iran’s military – there have been reports of communications equipment failures and shortages of food and other basic supplies.

‘… [S]ources said the command structure appears to be prioritizing the delivery of technical components needed to keep missile systems operational, rather than sending additional food rations or individual equipment to personnel.’^{[footnote 174]}

12.2.20 CPIT was unable to find any further information in the sources consulted (see Bibliography) to indicate whether the most recently announced skill-based programmes and/or the most recently announced military service salary increases were implemented.

13. Draft evaders and desertion

13.1 Penalties under the law

13.1.1 Book 2 of the Civil Code of the IRI, originally published on 23 May 1928, outlines provisions concerning nationality. It states: ‘Article 988 - Iranian nationals cannot abandon their nationality except on the following conditions … 4 - That they have completed their national military service.’^{[footnote 175]}

13.1.2 Chapter 7 of the Public Service Duty Law, published by Ekhtebar, covers the ‘Absence of Those Subject to Mandatory Military Service and Offenses and Penalties’ (translated into English).^{[footnote 176]} It states:

‘Article 58 – Those subject to mandatory military service who are summoned for review or for dispatch to fulfill the mandatory service and do not appear within the specified time or deadline, as well as those who have received temporary exemptions and do not present themselves for review within one month after the expiration of their exemption, are considered absent. Once they present themselves or are apprehended, if they are deemed fit and allowed to serve according to the regulations of this law, they will be sent to service and treated as follows:

‘1 - Those whose initial absence period is up to three months during peacetime and up to fifteen days during wartime will receive three additional months of service. If their initial absence exceeds three months during peacetime or fifteen days during wartime, they will be punished with six additional months of service.

‘2 - Those whose initial absence period exceeds one year during peacetime and two months during wartime, in addition to the extra service mentioned in item (1), are considered to have deserted and will be referred to the competent judicial authorities.

‘Note 1- Absentee conscripts who are sent to service, if they show good behavior, ethics, and diligence in performing their duties during service, or demonstrate bravery and self-sacrifice in combat operations, to the extent that it is certified by the relevant commanders and superiors, according to the regulations announced by the General Staff and with the approval of senior military authorities or their equivalents in the organization, may be exempted from performing additional service, or a part of it.

‘… Note 3 - The situation of conscripts who have a valid excuse for their absence will be addressed according to a regulation that will be announced after approval by the Commander-in-Chief.

‘Note 4 - Regarding the absence of reservist and backup conscripts, the procedures will follow instructions prepared by the General Staff and announced after approval by the Commander-in-Chief.

‘… Article 60 – Anyone who, by committing acts such as forging identity cards, seals, signatures, military service completion cards, exemption cards, using someone else’s identity, influencing others, giving false testimony, providing false certificates, hiding the truth, taking bribes, or deceiving others, enables themselves or others to be exempt from military service, will be prosecuted in a competent court. Considering the conditions and capabilities of the offender, the frequency and seriousness of the crime, and the level of discipline required, they will be sentenced to admonishment, reprimand, or imprisonment from one to five years.’^{[footnote 177]}

13.1.3 Articles 61, 63, and 63-bis of the Public Service Duty Law, and Article 4 of the Law on the Addition of Articles to the Law on Public Service, published by Ekhtebar, set out the penalties for people who either assist another person to be falsely exempt from military service or who employ a person who is considered to be absent from compulsory military service.

13.1.4 The Law on the Addition of Articles to the Law on Public Service states:

‘Article 2 - The punishment for absent conscripts during wartime who are caught a second time, in addition to the punishment provided in Article 58 of the Public Duty Service, will be one to three years of suspended imprisonment, and in any case, they are required to fulfill their public duty service.

‘Article 3 - The duration of compulsory service for wartime absent conscripts who present themselves three months after the approval of this letter will be three months longer than for other conscripts, and for those who are arrested, it will be six months longer. It is clear that absent conscripts who present themselves within three months after the approval of this law will not have to serve extra time.’^{[footnote 178]}

13.1.5 On 15 July 2013, the Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre (IHRDC), a non-profit organisation of human rights scholars and lawyers, which focuses on human rights in Iran^{[footnote 179]}, published an English translation of Book Five of the ‘new’ Islamic Penal Code, which deals with deals with ta’zir crimes (crimes with discretionary punishments^{[footnote 180]} and deterrent punishments, crimes against national security and a wide range of other offences.^{[footnote 181]} It states: ‘Article 504 – Anyone who effectively encourages combatants or those in military forces to rebel, escape, surrender, or disobey military orders, with the intention to overthrow the government or to defeat national forces against the enemy, shall be considered as mohareb; otherwise (if he does not possess the intention) if his acts are effective he shall be sentenced to two to ten years, and if not, to six months to three years’ imprisonment.’^{[footnote 182]}

13.1.6 Book Two of the Islamic Penal Code, an English translation of which was published by IHRDC on 4 April 2014, defines a mohareb/ moharebeh, and sets out the punishments that may be handed down for mohareb by law:

‘Article 279 – Moharebeh is defined as drawing a weapon on the life, property or chastity of people or to cause terror as it creates the atmosphere of insecurity. When a person draws a weapon on one or several specific persons because of personal enmities and his act is not against the public, and also a person who draws a weapon on people, but, due to inability does not cause insecurity, shall not be considered as a mohareb (i.e. a person who commits moharebeh).

‘… Article 282 – The hadd [an Islamic crime for which the Quran specifies the punishment^{[footnote 183]}] punishment for moharebeh is one of the following four punishments:

‘(a) The death penalty (hanging)

‘(b) Crucifixion

‘(c) Amputation of right hand and left foot

‘(d) Banishment [of at least one year, where the mohareb has repented^{[footnote 184]}]

‘Article 283 – The judge has the discretion of choosing one of the four punishments prescribed in article 282.’^{[footnote 185]}

13.1.7 Chapter 2 of the Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes, published by Ekhtebar, covers crimes against internal and external security, and states: ‘Article 23 – Any military personnel who force or incite soldiers or individuals serving in the armed forces in any way to escape, surrender, or neglect their military duties, or facilitate escape, or knowingly hide those who are on the run, if done with the intent to overthrow the government or weaken their own forces against the enemy, will be punished as a high-level combatant with imprisonment ranging from three to fifteen years.’^{[footnote 186]}

N.B. the information quoted above, and all other COI quoted from this source throughout the rest of this CPIN, was originally published in Farsi (Persian). See About the country information for further information about the method of translation.

13.1.8 Chapter 4 of the Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes addresses desertion from service, with section one of chapter 4 covering desertion during peacetime:

‘Article 56 – Permanent members of the armed forces, if they are absent for more than fifteen consecutive days during peacetime without a valid excuse, will be considered deserters and, depending on the case, will be subject to the following penalties:

‘(a) If they turn themselves in, they may be sentenced to two to six months in prison or deprived of promotion for three to six months.

‘(b) If they are caught, they may be sentenced to six months to two years in prison or deprived of promotion for six months to two years.

‘… Article 58 – Permanent members of the Armed Forces who are deserters, if during wartime, mobilization, general call-up, or when their unit is on combat readiness, report within one month from the date war, mobilization, general call-up, or combat readiness is announced, will be exempt from prosecution and punishment. If the report is made after this period, or if they are caught during or after this period, it will be considered desertion during wartime.

‘Article 59 – Armed forces conscripts who are absent for more than fifteen consecutive days during peacetime without a valid excuse are considered deserters, and if caught, they are sentenced to imprisonment from three months to one year or to three months to one year of additional service.

‘Article 60 – Deserter conscripts during peacetime, if they voluntarily report and resume their service, will be treated as follows:

‘a – If it is their first time deserting and they return within sixty days from the start of their absence, without referring the case to the judicial authority, two days of mandatory service will be added for each day of absence and desertion. This additional service will not exceed three months. 

‘b – If they report after the period mentioned in clause (a) of this article, or if they have a history of desertion, they will be sentenced by the court to imprisonment from two to six months.’^{[footnote 187]}

13.1.9 Deserter conscripts under article 60 will be exempt from prosecution and punishment if they report for service within 2 months from the start of war, mobilisation, general call-up, or a declaration of combat readiness (after 2 months they will be considered a deserter in wartime).^{[footnote 188]} Additionally, any service days added under article 60 may be excused if a committee of commanders, political-religious officers, and security officers or their deputies (at a requisite level) decide that a justified excuse for desertion has been provided, or where they approve the completion of the remaining service (also with the approval of commanders).^{[footnote 189]}

13.1.10 Part 2 of chapter 4 of the ‘Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes’, covers desertion during war and armed conflicts. It states:

‘Article 61 – Permanent members of the armed forces, if absent for more than five consecutive days during wartime without a valid excuse, shall be considered deserters and after being captured will be sentenced to imprisonment from one to five years. If the desertion is from the front, it will be counted from the time of absence and they will be sentenced to imprisonment from three to fifteen years.

‘Article 62 – The deserters mentioned in Article 61 of this law, if they present themselves voluntarily and resume service, if their desertion occurred during wartime service, shall be sentenced to imprisonment from one to three years and if the desertion was from the front, they shall be sentenced to two to five years of imprisonment.

‘Article 63 – Conscripts of the armed forces, if absent for more than five consecutive days during wartime without a valid excuse, shall be considered deserters and after being captured will be sentenced to imprisonment from one to three years. If the desertion is from the front, it will be counted from the time of absence and they will be sentenced to imprisonment from two to five years.

‘Article 64 – Those who have deserted as mentioned in Article 63 of this law, if they personally come forward and start serving, in case their desertion happened from service during wartime, they will be sentenced to imprisonment from three months to one year, and if the desertion was from the front, to imprisonment from six months to two years.

‘Note – The term “front” in this law refers to an area where a unit has had direct and fast combat engagement or has been assigned such a mission.

‘Article 65 – If the desertion of the individuals mentioned in Articles 61, 62, 63, and 64 of this law causes the Islamic front to fail or results in casualties to our own forces, they shall be sentenced as moharebs (enemies of God).

‘… Article 70 – Those who escape and are subject to Articles (62) and (64) of this law can only use the reduction provided in these articles the first time they desert service. In case of multiple or repeated desertions, they will be punished according to Articles (61) and (63) of this law, as applicable.’^{[footnote 190]}

13.1.11 Article 57 of the Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes, referring to permanent armed forces members, and article 67, referring to ‘military personnel’, note that those who are on assignment, leave, or training courses, and who do not report for duty (in or outside of Iran, as relevant) within 15 days (during peacetime, article 57) or 5 days (during wartime, article 67) after the end of their assignment, leave or training course, without a valid excuse, will be considered deserters and subject to punishment under articles 56 and articles 61 to 64, respectively.^{[footnote 191]}

13.1.12 Additional provisions of the armed forces crimes punishment law are:

‘Article 68 – Any military personnel who deserts during mobilization or when their unit is on combat alert will, depending on the case, be subject to the punishments set out in this section.

‘Article 69 – Reservists and people in the reserve duty who are called up during wartime and fail to report themselves within five days from the date of summons without a valid excuse will be considered deserters and sentenced to imprisonment from six months to two years. If these individuals report themselves before the end of the war, the court will reduce their punishment.’^{[footnote 192]}

13.1.13 Part 3 of chapter 4 of the armed forces crimes punishment law sets out what qualifies as a ‘justifiable excuse’ and the procedure for military personnel to follow in such cases (article 76), the period of absence punishable where it is partially covered by a justified excuse (article 77), and the penalties for military personnel who: use weapons, vehicles, or other equipment used by the armed forces to affect their escape; defect to the enemy and contribute to the defeat of the Islamic Republic; escape with conspiracy (i.e. more than 2 personnel who collude to escape together); are students or ‘contractual members’ performing contractual service within the military under ‘Armed Forces Employment Regulations’, or serve within the Special Basij (articles 71 to 75). See part 3 of chapter 4 of the Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes for details.

13.1.14 Regarding the IRGC specifically, Iran Data Portal published an English translation of the ‘Constitution of the Revolutionary Guards’ dated 7 September 1982 which states: ‘Article 46: Should a member of the Revolutionary Guard be absent without leave for over fifteen days in peacetime or five days in wartime, he shall be considered a deserter and shall be pursued by the military courts and subject to punishment under the law. The punishment for desertion shall be less than the punishment for desertions according to the disciplinary regulations ratified by the Revolutionary Guards’ Supreme Council.’^{[footnote 193]}

13.1.15 The November 2023 Iran International article stated: ‘Under Iran’s constitution, all men over 18 years of age are required to complete approximately two years of military service. Failure to do so restricts their ability to apply for passports or engage in legal business activities. Leaving before [the] end of service is also punishable under law as charges of “desertion”.’^{[footnote 194]}

13.1.16 The IHRNGO and ECPM 2024 and 2025 death penalty reports, the latter having been published on 13 April 2026, both stated: ‘Of the death penalty charges most commonly leading to execution, the security-related charges of moharebeh [see paragraph 13.1.6], efsad-fil-arz [corruption on earth^{[footnote 195]}], [and] baghy [rebellion^{[footnote 196]}] … fall under the jurisdiction of the Revolutionary Courts … Military courts also have jurisdiction over death penalty charges restricted to times of war, according to the Code of Criminal Procedure for Armed Forces Offences and Electronic Proceedings.’^{[footnote 197] [footnote 198]}

13.2 State treatment

13.2.1 Articles 58-bis and 1, respectively, of the Public Service Duty Law, and the Law on the Addition of Articles to the Law on Public Service, published by Ekhtebar, set out a requirement on the Iranian authorities to identify, pursue, and arrest individuals who are considered absentees.

13.2.2 Article 10 of the Public Service Duty Law states:

‘Carrying out the following matters regarding those subject to compulsory service requires providing proof of review of their conscription status by the Public Service Office, and a photocopy of the submitted document is among the essential attachments of the formed file:

‘a - Participating in driving tests and obtaining a driving license.

‘b - Receiving any kind of loans and assistance for agriculture, industry, livestock, and housing through banks, ministries, government institutions, and government-affiliated legal entities.

‘c - Running as a candidate in elections for the Islamic Consultative Assembly and other councils and legal associations.

‘d - Submitting the original diploma or graduation certificate for studies at the diploma level and higher from the relevant ministry.

‘e - Issuing business licenses, work permits, and membership in cooperative companies.

‘z - Receiving a pension from government organizations, affiliated entities, and legal institutions.

‘h - Employment in any form (official, contractual, daily wage, or service purchase) in ministries, governmental institutions, government-affiliated entities, legal organizations, and state-owned companies.

‘… Note 3 - Those who violate the provisions of this article will be referred to judicial courts. The penalty for such individuals is, for the first time, paying the annual cost of one soldier according to the annual budget law and the rate announced by the government; for the second time, in addition to the above fine, three months of suspension from service; and for the third time and beyond, dismissal from government service.’^{[footnote 199]}

13.2.3 The DFAT country report, published on 24 July 2023, stated:

‘Those who avoid service but are unable to legally seek an exemption may be punished. Those who leave the country and return before reaching 50 years of age can be drafted. Those older than 40 will likely receive a fine. Criminal penalties include fines or prison time or having their drivers’ licence, passport or permission to leave the country revoked. They may also be prevented from accessing public sector jobs (the government is the largest employer in Iran by far) or higher education. Local sources report that men who return to Iran and are seeking to avoid conscription will stay less than three months on each visit.’^{[footnote 200]}

13.2.4 The June 2024 EUAA Country Focus report, citing information from the Associate Professor at a Swedish university in June 2024, stated:

‘… [L]eaving the country without completing the mandatory military service may stop individuals from returning to the country. Iranian authorities systematically screen, including upon return to the country, to find out who did not complete the military service.

‘… Kurds could be punished harsher than Persians if they desert because the Islamic Republic associates their desertion as a sign of disloyalty and distrust to the state. A Kurdish deserter can be imprisoned or get a fine, or at times, Kurds would leave the country to avoid the mandatory military service.’^{[footnote 201]}

13.2.5 The same EUAA report also stated: ‘In an interview with EUAA, an expert working for the French authorities [examining asylum applications], indicated that Iranian authorities would punish the same way any Iranian for desertion or refusal of military service; however, if Baluches or Kurds demonstrate opposition to the military institution, they could be easily suspected of being political opponent[s] and thus can be treated severely by the authorities.’^{[footnote 202]}

13.2.6 The September 2024 ISNA article stated:

‘The “General Directorate of Public Conscription of FAR[A]JA” recently announced that conscripts who have been absent for over 8 years, aged between 26 and 30, can complete their military service part-time under the “Ansar Corps of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps” plan. Absentee conscripts participating in the Ansar plan benefit from flexibility in the duration of their presence and can agree on their working hours at the workplace.

‘Other benefits of this plan include no service deduction limits, flexibility in the length of mandatory service (14 to 21 months), elimination of 2 months of continuous training, forgiveness of long-term extra service, the ability to travel abroad for religious pilgrimages to holy shrines and Hajj, and placing conscripts in roles suitable to their skills, expertise, and abilities.

‘Also, in this plan, people can use service reduction points for marriage (2 months), first child (3 months), second child (4 months), and third child (5 months), as well as for membership in the Basij before going absent, and for parents’ veteran record, whether serving on the front or being disabled. These individuals are employed in the IRGC in their city and province of residence, and at the same time as serving in the military, they can work and also have insurance coverage.’^{[footnote 203]}

13.2.7 On 17 October 2024, the EUAA published a response to a request for information on the human rights situation in Iran, which covered the period from January 2023 until 7 October 2024 and cited various sources. Citing an article published on 13 May 2024 by Eghtesad (also transliterated as Eqtesad) Online, an Iranian media group^{[footnote 204]}, entitled ‘What’s the new law about exemptions for deserter soldiers?’^{[footnote 205]}, which was published in Farsi, the EUAA response stated (in English):

‘General Taghi Mehri, head of Iran’s General Military Service Organisation, has reportedly announced new regulations for conscripts and deserters in 2024, including:

• ‘Exemption for Deserters: deserters who have been absent for more than 8 years (calculated until 2016) and have not resumed service are eligible for exemption from military service. This aims to ease their financial and social burdens and grant them the same benefits as those who completed their service. Deserters with less than 8 years of absence can finish their service in intervals based on personal circumstances;
• ‘Medical Exemption for Deserters: Deserters absent for more than two months who developed physical or mental health issues post-desertion may qualify for a medical exemption after paying a fine. The process requires reporting to the last unit served, followed by legal proceedings and payment of fines. Upon approval by a medical board, they may receive a medical exemption at no extra cost;
• ‘Caregiving Exemption (Kefalat): deserters can apply for caregiving exemptions (for parents, siblings, etc.) only if they had no unjustified absence before conscription. After completing military court procedures and paying fines, their exemption can be confirmed, allowing them to return to their unit;
• ‘Veteran Exemption: deserters whose fathers were not previously recognised for wartime service or disability can now qualify for veteran-based exemptions. After desertion, once documents proving the father’s service or disability are submitted, deserters can return to their unit, settle legal matters, and apply for service reductions or a permanent exemption via the police service.’^{[footnote 206]}

13.2.8 The same EUAA response, citing an article published on 23 June 2024 by Tasnim News, a hardline news agency close to the IRGC^{[footnote 207]}, which CPIT has been unable to access directly, stated:

‘… (informal translation) “Amir Hussein Qazi Zadeh, presidential candidate, stated that there were 3.5 million military deserters in the country. The source further indicated that (informal translation) “these individuals are not deserters but rather conscripts who, for physical related issues or medical exemption validation or obtaining a smart card, were not present at military service. The source also indicated that there have been less than one million absent conscripts in the country”. Corroborating information could not be found in the sources consulted by the EUAA.’^{[footnote 208]}

13.2.9 The June 2024 ISNA article stated: ‘

‘The head of the Judicial Organization of Armed Forces in Kermanshah said: On the occasion of the Eid al-Adha [generally considered the holier of the 2 annual Islamic Eid festivals^{[footnote 209]}] and Ghadir Khumm [one of the most significant Shia annual events, commemorating the appointment of the first Shia imam^{[footnote 210]}] festivals and Judiciary Week, deserters who turn themselves in will be exempt from punishment.

‘… The head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces added: Just last year alone, we held 130 awareness training sessions totaling 38,329 person-hours to prevent crimes within the armed forces.

‘… Mahmoudi added: The commanders and officers of the units are required by law to report to the military prosecutor’s office if a crime occurs in their units, and if they don’t report it, they themselves will also be considered criminals.

‘He went on to emphasize that fortunately, crime rates among the armed forces are very low, saying: 95% of the cases in this area that are filed in military prosecutors’ offices and courts are resolved as quickly as possible.

‘… [He] stressed that the main crimes among the armed forces include abuse of work positions, failure to perform duties, misuse of military property and facilities, financial crimes, and so on.

‘He reminded that over the past year, 4,110 public meetings were held at the Judiciary of the Armed Forces. 

‘He also had some good news for deserters, saying that during Judiciary Week, the “Return to the Barracks” plan will be implemented across the country, under which any soldier who has deserted for the first time and comes forward will be exempt from punishment.’^{[footnote 211]}

13.2.10 The September 2025 Fararu News article stated: ‘Absentees who have been absent for more than 8 years can complete their service intermittently over 2 to 8 years.’^{[footnote 212]}

13.2.11 The December 2024 Iran News Wire article stated that draft evaders, ‘… encounter extensive restrictions, including bans on obtaining bank loans, educational certificates, and passports. Those without formalized military status cannot enroll in universities, register for entrance exams, or obtain business licenses. They are also barred from employment in ministries, government offices, private institutions, and even from obtaining driver’s licenses or signing official documents.’^{[footnote 213]}

13.2.12 The May 2025 Kurdpa article stated: ‘Avoiding military service leads to extensive civil restrictions, including getting a passport, official employment, and educational enrollment.’^{[footnote 214]}

13.2.13 On 26 June 2025, Kayhan Life, ‘an independent media outlet focusing on Iran’^{[footnote 215]}, published an article which stated:

‘On June 23 [2025] — the 12th day of the [12-day^{[footnote 216]}] war between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel — Tehran-based Farda News [a news website that is ‘… affiliated to the Progress and Justice Society of Islamic Iran, a conservative party which is close to Majlis Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.’^{[footnote 217]} reported that senior officials from Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff had granted local commanders the authority to take severe measures against any cases of desertion or disobedience among soldiers and officers across all branches of the security forces [CPIT has been unable to access the Farda News report directly].

‘“In recent days, reports have surged about a rising number of soldiers, officers, and officials failing to report to their units, defying orders, and in some cases, fleeing and going into hiding in safe houses,” the report said.

‘“In addition to cases of treason and collaboration with the enemy, there have also been reports of individuals acting out of personal fear or concern for their families — particularly as many units have suffered damage from enemy attacks and the civilian situation remains perilous,” the report noted.

‘“Senior judicial officials from the Armed Forces General Staff have completed a comprehensive review of directives related to desertion and delivered a clear and decisive message to all military branches,” the report explained.

‘The report cited Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and said: “The Islamic Republic is currently in a state of emergency and engaged in a war against a determined adversary. Under these challenging conditions, maintaining strict discipline among officers, soldiers, and law enforcement personnel across all military branches is critical.”

‘“Any act of disobedience or desertion is viewed as a grave threat to national security and will be treated as treason, irrespective of whether it stems from personal motives or an intent to assist the enemy,” the report added.

‘The report also reiterated that disobedience could be met with the ultimate punishment — execution — and warned that even family members could face repercussions.

‘“The punishment for treason is execution. All members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Basij forces, and Law Enforcement Forces are reminded that any act of disobedience to their unit’s orders or regulations puts their own lives at risk and could expose their families to similar accusations,” it said.

‘The signs are that the Islamic Republic has once again turned to espionage and informant tactics, seeking to turn citizens against one another during a time of war.

‘“The public is urged by intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Intelligence to report instances of desertion or disobedience. Such information is crucial to the Republic’s security and ensuring our triumph over the enemy,” the report added.’^{[footnote 218]}

13.2.14 The IHRNGO and ECPM 2024 and 2025 death penalty reports both stated:  ‘… [T]he death penalty cases related to military personnel and IRGC forces recorded by IHRNGO, were all heard before the Criminal and Revolutionary Courts.’^{[footnote 219] [footnote 220]} The report did not, however, specify which death penalty cases it was referring to and CPIT was unable to find any examples in either report, nor in the IHRNGO and ECPM 2023 death penalty report which was published in March 2024^{[footnote 221]}, of any military personnel or other individuals having been sentenced to death or executed for offences relating to draft evasion, desertion, or refusal to follow military orders.

13.2.15 The ISW-CTP Iran update of 22 January 2026 stated:

‘Recent reporting … suggests some Iranian security personnel have refused orders, including reports that authorities arrested “dozens” of security forces in Kermanshah Province for refusing to fire on protesters, according to Norway-based human rights group Hengaw on January 8 [2026]. An Israeli media outlet separately reported on January 20 [2026] that hundreds of junior and mid-level IRGC and Basij officers have defected, according to Western intelligence agencies. It is unclear why these Western intelligence sources would give information to an Israeli outlet before giving this information to a Western outlet, though it is not implausible that they would do so.’^{[footnote 222]} Notwithstanding an example of a sentence handed down to a conscript in January 2026 (see paragraph 13.2.22), CPIT has been unable to find any information in the sources consulted (see Bibliography), either corroborating the above information, or providing further details about how the state treatment of the reported arrested security forces and other defectors.   

13.2.16 The ISW-CTP Iran update of 28 January 2026, on the other hand, noted that on the same date, the LEC announced that it was, ‘… forgiving absences from mandatory service.’^{[footnote 223]}

13.2.17 The translated May 2026 Mehr News Agency article stated that those considered absent due to not determining their military service status by the specified deadline (see paragraph 10.2.3), ‘… will face social restrictions such as being unable to get a job, receive loans, collect pensions from organizations, or get business licenses.’^{[footnote 224]}

13.2.18 An undated webpage published by the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) Consular Affairs, Mumbai, entitled ‘Special Military service exemption’ stated:

‘According to the proposal of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the approval of the Supreme Leader, the violations of all the absent of military service subjects are pardoned as follows, and they are issued an exemption card.

‘This exemption is divided into five groups according to the educational qualification and eligibility age:

‘1 - Sub-diploma, diploma, post-diploma: born until the end of 1354 S.H (1975)

‘2 - Bachelor: born until the end of 1354 S.H (1975)

‘3 – Master’s degree: born until the end of 1352 S.H (1973)

‘4 - Non-medical doctorate: born until the end of 1350 S.H (1971)

‘5 - Doctor of medicine and veterinary medicine: born until the end of 1344 S.H (1965)

‘Note: According to the note of Article 9 of the Executive Regulations regarding military service approved on 11/8/1391, all eligible persons who are over 50 years old, in case the age in the ID card does not change, their original ID card with a photo is considered as a public duty exemption card.’^{[footnote 225]}

13.2.19 The IRI Consular Affairs, Mumbai, webpage entitled ‘Buying Military Service’ (translated into English) stated: ‘According to the announcement of the Public Conscription Organization, all Iranian conscripts living abroad who have resided outside the country for at least three years can obtain an exit stamp for conscripts until the end of 2026. Holders of the conscript exit stamp can stay in the country twice a year, for a maximum total of three months.’^{[footnote 226]}

13.2.20 The ISNA reported that a conscript with any absenteeism will not be eligible for assignment to a ‘military service placement’ in an administrative or government organisation or institution.^{[footnote 227]} See paragraph 12.1.8 for details.

13.2.21 Sources also indicate that an individual who is eligible for conscription in Iran, but who has not yet completed military service, requires an exit permit to leave Iran and special permission to obtain a passport, see Country Policy and Information Note, Iran: Illegal exit for information.

13.2.22 A recent example of a sentence handed down to an individual in connection with his military service was (Note: while this is not intended to be an exhaustive list, CPIT was unable to find any other recent examples in the sources consulted (see Bibliography)):

• the sentencing to death of a young, male soldier who was arrested during nationwide protests in January 2026 (during which thousands of protesters were reported to have been killed) for refusing military orders to fire at protesters^{[footnote 228] [footnote 229] [footnote 230] [footnote 231]}. The ISW-CTP Iran update of 22 January 2026, which noted him specifically to be a conscript, noted that the sentence, ‘… suggests an effort by the regime to deter others from refusing similar orders.’^{[footnote 232]}

Terms of Reference

The ‘Terms of Reference’ are the main topics and issues relevant to the scope of this note and provides the framework for the country information. In this note, they were:

• Legal Context
  • Constitution
  • Other relevant legislation
• Conscription
  • Eligibility – age, gender
  • Call-up process
  • Duration and type of service
  • Service cards
  • Buy-out
• Exemptions
  • Non-medical
  • Medical
  • SOGIE
• Evasion and desertion
  • Penalties and convictions
• Treatment
  • Conditions of service

Bibliography

Sources cited

Amnesty International, Iran: Recruitment of child soldiers as young as 12 amounts to a war crime, 2 April 2026. Accessed: 11 August 2026

Amwaj.media:

• About, no date. Accessed: 13 July 2026

• Will Iran extend mandatory military service to women?, 26 February 2025. Accessed: 13 July 2026

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Country Information Report Iran, 24 July 2023. Accessed: 1 July 2026

BBC Monitoring, Media Guide: Iran (accessed via subscription), 18 February 2026. Accessed: 10 July and 11 August 2026 

BBC News, Iran: A really simple guide to the protests, 15 September 2023. Accessed: 13 August 2026

BBC Newsround, Eid-al-Adha: What is it and how is it celebrated?, 21 May 2026. Accessed: 17 July 2026

Council on Foreign Relations (CFR):

• About CFR, no date. Accessed: 1 July 2026

• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), updated 30 January 2026. Accessed: 1 July 2026         

Cross-border Information (CbI), About, no date. Accessed: 9 July 2026

Donya-e-Eqtesad, Important details announced about reducing service during military service (translated into English), 20 August 2024. Accessed: 11 August 2026

Ecoi.net:

• Source description: Critical Threats Project (CTP), 26 January 2023. Accessed: 30 June 2026

• Source description: Institute for the Study of War (ISW), 30 May 2023. Accessed: 30 June 2026

ECPM (Together Against the Death Penalty):

• Discover ECPM: About Us, no date. Accessed: 1 July 2026

• Discover ECPM: History, no date. Accessed: 1 July 2026

Eghtesad Online:

• About Us (translated into English), no date. Accessed: 16 July 2026

• What’s the new law about exemptions for deserter soldiers? (translated into English), 13 May 2024. Accessed: 16 July 2026

Ekhtebar:

• About Us (translated into English), no date. Accessed: 2 July 2026

• Executive Regulations for Educational Exemption (Mandatory Military Service), Approved on 20 November 2013 by the Cabinet, published 6 March 2023. Accessed: 7 July 2026

• Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes, approved on 30 December 2003, published 27 November 2014. Accessed: 2 July 2026

• Law on the Addition of Articles to the Law on Public Service, 16 April 1986, published 20 July 2014. Accessed: 12 August 2026

• Public Service Duty Law, 20 October 1984, published 20 July 2014. Accessed: 6 July 2026

Regulations for Medical Examination and Exemption of Compulsory Military Service Conscripts, approved in 2014, published 1 March 2015. Accessed: 7 July 2026

• Siavash Hoshyar (translated into English), no date. Accessed: 2 July 2026

European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA):

• Iran – Country Focus, June 2024. Accessed: 3 July 2026

• Iran; Human rights situation [Q72-2024], 17 October 2024. Accessed: 16 July 2026

ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, no date. Accessed: Various dates between 6 and 16 July 2026, and on 12 August 2026

Fararu News:

• About us, no date. Accessed: 13 July 2026

• Soldiers’ salaries in 1405; which group gets 18.6 million?, 16 February 2026. Accessed: 12 August 2026

• So, what’s the update on buying military service? (translated into English), 14 September 2025. Accessed: 13 July 2026

Foreign Policy (FP):

• About FP: Writers Guidelines, no date. Accessed: 9 July 2026

• Conscription Is Not an Excuse for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, 30 January 2023. Accessed: 9 July 2026

Government of Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 23 May 1928. Accessed: 13 July 2026

Government of Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), Consular Affairs, Mumbai:

• Buying Military Service, no date. Accessed: 12 August 2026

• Exchange or duplicate card of completion or exemption Card for Military Service, no date. Accessed: 10 July 2026

• Special Military service exemption (Afv Rahbari), no date. Accessed: 10 July 2026

Gulf States Newsletter (GSN):

• About GSN, no date. Accessed: 9 July 2026

• Iran cuts the duration of military service, 24 October 2023. Accessed: 9 July 2026

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Criminalized Identity: Highlighting LGBTQ+ Rights Abuses In Iran, 16 May 2024. Accessed: 14 July 2026

Human Rights Watch (HRW):

• Iran: Military Stepping Up Child Recruitment, 30 March 2026. Accessed: 30 June 2026

• Kids Should Not Be Fighters, 3 April 2026. Accessed: 30 June 2026

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRBC), Iran: Military identification for active and completed military service, including military cards; content, appearance, and security features of military identification; whether military service cards or military service exemption cards are used as identity cards (2021-February 2023), 16 February 2023. Accessed: 10 July 2026

Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), About Us, no date. Accessed: 7 July 2026

Institute for the Study of War and the Critical Threats Project (ISW-CTP):

• Iran Update, January 22, 2026, 22 January 2026. Accessed: 30 June 2026

• Iran Update, January 28, 2026, 28 January 2026. Accessed: 30 June 2026

Iran Data Portal:

• About Us, no date. Accessed: 6 July 2026

• Constitution of the Revolutionary Guards, 7 September 1982. Accessed: 9 July 2026

• The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran (English), approved by referendum on 2 and 3 December 1979, amended on 28 July 1989. Accessed: 6 July 2026

Iran Focus, Iranian Authorities Sentence Soldier to Death for Refusing to Fire at Protesters, 20 January 2026. Accessed: 22 July 2026

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), About Us, no date. Accessed: 1 July 2026

Iran Human Rights Society (Iran HRS), Execution for Refusing to Shoot During Protests, 20 January 2026. Accessed: 22 July 2026

IHRNGO and ECPM:

• Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran – 2023, March 2024. Accessed: 16 July 2026

• Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran – 2024, February 2025. Accessed: 16 July 2026

• Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran – 2025, 13 April 2026. Accessed: 16 July 2026

Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre (IHRDC):

• Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Book Five, 15 July 2013. Accessed: 9 July 2026

• Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Book One and Book Two, 4 April 2014. Accessed: 9 July 2026

• Mission, no date. Accessed: 9 July 2026

Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA):

• Details on exemptions and salary increases for soldiers (translated into English), 7 November 2023. Accessed: 14 July 2026

• Head of the Judicial Organization of the Armed Forces in Kermanshah: Deserter soldiers will be pardoned/Crime rates among the armed forces are low (translated into English), 24 June 2024. Accessed: 16 July 2026

• Last chance to take advantage of the exemption for three or more children until the end of September 2026, 27 June 2026. Accessed: 9 July 2026

• Military service; a threat or an opportunity for employment? / Tenfold increase in soldiers’ salaries in the last 10 years (translated into English), 25 September 2024. Accessed: 14 July 2026

Iran International:

• About Us, no date. Accessed: 2 July 2026

• Conscript Arrested After Killing Five In Kerman Barracks, 22 January 2024. Accessed: 14 July 2026

• Conscripts say commanders abandoned them in bases after Khamenei’s killing, 6 March 2026. Accessed: 12 August 2026

• Desertions, shortages and army-IRGC rift strain Iran’s military, 12 March 2026. Accessed: 12 August 2026

• Iranian Military Introduces Salary And Service Reforms, 7 November 2023. Accessed: 2 July 2026

• Iran To Shorten Mandatory Military Service To 14 Months, 17 March 2024. Accessed: 2 July 2026

• Soldier Kills Officer, Civilian Near Tehran; Dies In Police Pursuit, 10 February 2024. Accessed: 15 July 2026

• US condemns death sentence for Iranian soldier who refused to fire on protesters, 22 January 2026. Accessed: 22 July 2026

Iran News Wire:

• About, no date. Accessed: 3 July 2026

• Iran: Mandatory Military Service and Millions of Draft Dodgers, 28 December 2024. Accessed: 3 July 2026

Irun Digital Bank, Iranian Money: Understanding Rials, Tomans, and Exchange Rates, 13 May 2025. Accessed: 6 July 2026

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA):

• Call-up for conscripts of the January 2025 service term (translated into English), 18 December 2024. Accessed: 10 July 2026

• Details on reducing military service/ the official assignment is still 24 months (translated into English), 22 October 2023. Accessed: 14 July 2026

• Getting a tattoo doesn’t exempt you from military service (translated into English), 8 October 2023. Accessed: 14 July 2026

• Iran cuts military service for all conscripts by 3 months, 22 October 2023. Accessed: 2 July 2026

• Iranian conscripts with 3 children exempted from military service, 30 April 2023. Accessed: 9 July 2026

• Military service exemption for those with three or more children is still in effect (translated into English), 23 October 2023. Accessed: 14 July 2026

• The guidelines for medical exemptions from military service have been issued (translated into English), 15 December 2024. Accessed: 14 July 2026

Kayhan Life:

• About Us, no date. Accessed: 3 July 2026

• Iranian Military Warns Against Desertion, Report Says, 26 June 2025. Accessed: 3 July 2026

Khodadadi, Dr Bahman, published by Oxford Academic, On Theocratic Criminal Law: The Rule of Religion and Punishment in Iran, September 2024. Accessed: 9 July 2026

Kurdpa:

• About Us, no date. Accessed: 12 August 2026

• Mahabad; Samran Rak, a Kurdish soldier, committed suicide two days after his leave + stats and interview, 19 May 2025. Accessed: 12 August 2026

Mehr News Agency:

• A senior official announced; 25 scientific projects by Iranian elites abroad have replaced military service (translated into English), 9 July 2023. Accessed: 11 August 2026

• Call-up for those born in 2008 to sort out their military service (translated into English), 16 May 2026. Accessed: 11 August 2026

• Extension of military service exemption for those with three or four children until the end of 2028 (translated into English), 4 August 2026. Accessed: 11 August 2026

• Leader orders pursuit of US-Israeli war crimes against Iran, 28 June 2026. Accessed: 17 July 2026

Press TV:

• About Press TV, no date. Accessed: 13 July 2026

• Iran mulls plan to exempt diaspora investors from military service, 11 November 2025. Accessed: 13 July 2026

Spreading Justice, The History of the Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FARAJA), 13 March 2021. Accessed: 3 July 2026

Taghrib News Agency (TNA), Eid al‑Qadir: Celebrating the Imamate of Ali ibn Abi Talib in Shia Islam, 14 June 2025. Accessed: 17 July 2026

UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mai Sato [A/HRC/58/62], 12 March 2025. Accessed: 31 December 2025. Accessed: 9 July 2026

US Department of State (USSD), U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country, no date. Accessed: 10 July 2026

XE.com, Currency converter – US dollars to British pounds, no date. Accessed: 2 July 2026

Zeidan, Adam and fact-checked by Britannica Editors, 12-Day War, 16 July 2026. Accessed: 16 July 2026

Sources consulted but not cited

Atlantic Council, Iran targeted human rights sanctions series: Understanding ‘terrorist organization’ designations in relation to the IRGC, 20 March 2024. Accessed: 2 July 2026

Iran International, Iranian media reports military desertions, 24 June 2025. Accessed: 3 July 2026

Jezebel, Conscripts in Iran’s “Elite” Military Arm Say They Aren’t Trained To Be West-Fearing Woman-Haters, 8 October 2024

Policy Options, The terrorism of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, 8 March 2023. Accessed: 9 July 2026

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1. Iran Data Portal, About Us, no date ↩

2. Iran Data Portal, The Constitution … (page 7), 2/3 December 1979, amended 28 July 1989 ↩

3. Iran Data Portal, The Constitution … (pages 29 to 30), 2/3 December 1979, amended 28 July 1989 ↩

4. Ekhtebar, About Us (translated into English), no date ↩

5. Ekhtebar, Siavash Hoshyar (translated into English), no date ↩

6. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

7. Ekhtebar, Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes (30 December 2003), 27 November 2014 ↩

8. BBC Monitoring, Media Guide: Iran (Main news agencies) (via subscription), 18 February 2026 ↩

9. ISNA, … exemptions and salary increases for soldiers (English translation), 7 November 2023 ↩

10. Fararu News, About us, no date ↩

11. Fararu News, … the update on buying military service? (English translation), 14 September 2025 ↩

12. Iran Data Portal, The Constitution … (pages 23), 2/3 December 1979, amended 28 July ↩

13. FP, About FP: Writers Guidelines, no date ↩

14. FP, Conscription Is Not an Excuse for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, 30 January 2023 ↩

15. Spreading Justice, The History of the Law Enforcement Command … (FARAJA), 13 March 2021 ↩

16. EUAA, Iran – Country Focus (section 1.2.), June 2024 ↩

17. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraphs 2.187, 2.189 and 2.191), 24 July 2023 ↩

18. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.192), 24 July 2023 ↩

19. EUAA, Iran – Country Focus (section 3.1.), June 2024 ↩

20. Mehr News Agency, Leader orders pursuit of US-Israeli war crimes against Iran, 28 June 2026 ↩

21. ISNA, … Deserter soldiers will be pardoned … (translated into English), 24 June 2024 ↩

22. Iran International, About Us, no date ↩

23. Iran International, Soldier Kills Officer, Civilian Near Tehran …, 10 February 2024 ↩

24. Iran News Wire, About, no date ↩

25. Iran News Wire, Iran: Mandatory Military Service and Millions of Draft Dodgers, 28 December 2024 ↩

26. CFR, About CFR, no date ↩

27. CFR, The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), updated 30 January 2026 ↩

28. CFR, The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), updated 30 January 2026 ↩

29. IISS, About Us, no date ↩

30. CFR, The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), updated 30 January 2026 ↩

31. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

32. FP, Conscription Is Not an Excuse for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, 30 January 2023 ↩

33. BBC Monitoring, Media Guide: Iran (Main news agencies) (via subscription), 18 February 2026 ↩

34. IRNA, Iranian conscripts with 3 children exempted from military service, 30 April 2023 ↩

35. Iran International, Iran To Shorten Mandatory Military Service To 14 Months, 17 March 2024 ↩

36. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.154), 24 July 2023 ↩

37. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 1.6), 24 July 2023 ↩

38. BBC Monitoring, Media Guide: Iran (Other news agencies) (via subscription), 18 February 2026 ↩

39. HRW, Iran: Military Stepping Up Child Recruitment, 30 March 2026 ↩

40. Amnesty International, … Recruitment of child soldiers as young as 12 …, 2 April 2026 ↩

41. FP, Conscription Is Not an Excuse for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, 30 January 2023 ↩

42. HRW, Kids Should Not Be Fighters, 3 April 2026 ↩

43. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

44. IRNA, Call-up for conscripts of the January 2025 … term (English translation), 18 December 2024 ↩

45. BBC Monitoring, Media Guide: Iran (Main news agencies) (via subscription), 18 February 2026 ↩

46. Mehr News Agency, Call-up for those born in 2008 … (translated into English), 16 May 2026 ↩

47. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

48. IRNA, Iran cuts military service for all conscripts by 3 months, 22 October 2023 ↩

49. IRNA, … the official assignment is still 24 months (English translation), 22 October 2023 ↩

50. GSN, About GSN, no date ↩

51. CbI, About, no date ↩

52. GSN, Iran cuts the duration of military service, 24 October 2023 ↩

53. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.154), 24 July 2023 ↩

54. Iran International, Iran To Shorten Mandatory Military Service To 14 Months, 17 March 2024 ↩

55. BBC Monitoring, Media Guide: Iran (Financial newspapers) (via subscription), 18 February 2026 ↩

56. Donya-e-Eqtesad, Important details announced … (translated into English), 20 August 2024 ↩

57. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

58. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

59. Ecoi.net, Source description: Institute for the Study of War (ISW), 30 May 2023 ↩

60. Ecoi.net, Source description: Critical Threats Project (CTP), 26 January 2023 ↩

61. ISW-CTP, Iran Update, January 28, 2026 (Toplines), 28 January 2026 ↩

62. ISW-CTP, Iran Update, January 28, 2026 (Key Takeaways), 28 January 2026 ↩

63. USSD, U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country (Iran: Military Records), no date ↩

64. USSD, U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country (Iran: Military Records), no date ↩

65. IRI, Consular Affairs, Mumbai, Exchange or duplicate card … for Military Service, no date ↩

66. FP, Conscription Is Not an Excuse for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, 30 January 2023 ↩

67. IRBC, … Military identification … including military cards … (section 2.1), 16 February 2023 ↩

68. IRBC, … Military identification … including military cards … (section 2.1.1), 16 February 2023 ↩

69. IRBC, … Military identification … including military cards … (section 2.1.1), 16 February 2023 ↩

70. IRBC, … Military identification … including military cards … (section 2.2), 16 February 2023 ↩

71. IRBC, … Military identification … including military cards … (section 3), 16 February 2023 ↩

72. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.218), 24 July 2023 ↩

73. IHRNGO, About Us, no date ↩

74. ECPM, Discover ECPM: About Us, no date ↩

75. ECPM, Discover ECPM: History, no date ↩

76. IHRNGO and ECPM, Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran – 2024 (page 91), February 2025 ↩

77. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 6 July 2026 ↩

78. Irun Digital Bank, Iranian Money: Understanding Rials, Tomans …, 13 May 2025 ↩

79. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 6 July 2026 ↩

80. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 6 July 2026 ↩

81. Iran News Wire, Iran: Mandatory Military Service and Millions of Draft Dodgers, 28 December 2024 ↩

82. XE.com, Currency converter – US dollars to British pounds, 1 July 2026 ↩

83. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.156), 24 July 2023 ↩

84. Fararu News, … the update on buying military service? (English translation), 14 September 2025 ↩

85. Fararu News, … the update on buying military service? (English translation), 14 September 2025 ↩

86. Press TV, About Press TV, no date ↩

87. Press TV, Iran mulls plan to exempt diaspora investors from military service, 11 November 2025 ↩

88. IRI, Consular Affairs, Mumbai, Buying Military Service, no date ↩

89. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

90. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

91. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

92. IRBC, … Military identification … including military cards … (section 2.2), 16 February 2023 ↩

93. IRNA, Iranian conscripts with 3 children exempted from military service, 30 April 2023 ↩

94. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.154), 24 July 2023 ↩

95. ISNA, … exemptions and salary increases for soldiers (English translation), 7 November 2023 ↩

96. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

97. Amwaj.media, About, no date ↩

98. Amwaj.media, Will Iran extend mandatory military service to women?, 26 February 2025 ↩

99. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.155), 24 July 2023 ↩

100. HRANA, Criminalized Identity: Highlighting LGBTQ+ Rights Abuses In Iran, 16 May 2024 ↩

101. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

102. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

103. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

104. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

105. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.155), 24 July 2023 ↩

106. Iran International, Iranian Military Introduces Salary And Service Reforms, 7 November 2023 ↩

107. IRNA, Getting a tattoo doesn’t exempt … military service (English translation), 8 October 2023  ↩

108. IRNA, … guidelines for medical exemptions … issued (English translation), 15 December 2024 ↩

109. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

110. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

111. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.155), 24 July 2023 ↩

112. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

113. Iran News Wire, Iran: Mandatory Military Service and Millions of Draft Dodgers, 28 December 2024 ↩

114. Mehr News Agency, … scientific projects … replaced military service (translated), 9 July 2023 ↩

115. Donya-e-Eqtesad, Important details announced … (translated into English), 20 August 2024 ↩

116. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

117. IRBC, … Military identification … including military cards … (section 2.2), 16 February 2023 ↩

118. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.155), 24 July 2023 ↩

119. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 13 July 2026 ↩

120. Fararu News, … the update on buying military service? (English translation), 14 September 2025 ↩

121. IRNA, Iranian conscripts with 3 children exempted from military service, 30 April 2023 ↩

122. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.155), 24 July 2023 ↩

123. IRNA, … exemption for those with three or more children … (English translation), 23 October 2023 ↩

124. Fararu News, … the update on buying military service? (English translation), 14 September 2025 ↩

125. ISNA, Last chance to take advantage of the exemption …, 27 June 2026 ↩

126. Mehr News Agency, Extension of military service exemption … (translated), 4 August 2026 ↩

127. Mehr News Agency, Extension of military service exemption … (translated), 4 August 2026 ↩

128. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

129. FP, Conscription Is Not an Excuse for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, 30 January 2023 ↩

130. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraphs 2.154, 2.155 and 2.156), 24 July 2023 ↩

131. IRNA, … the official assignment is still 24 months (English translation), 22 October 2023 ↩

132. Iran International, Iranian Military Introduces Salary And Service Reforms, 7 November 2023 ↩

133. ISNA, … exemptions and salary increases for soldiers (English translation), 7 November 2023 ↩

134. Donya-e-Eqtesad, Important details announced … (translated into English), 20 August 2024 ↩

135. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

136. Kurdpa, About Us, no date ↩

137. BBC News, Iran: A really simple guide to the protests, 15 September 2023 ↩

138. Kurdpa, … Kurdish soldier, committed suicide … after … leave + stats and interview, 19 May 2025 ↩

139. Kurdpa, … Kurdish soldier, committed suicide … after … leave + stats and interview, 19 May 2025 ↩

140. ISW-CTP, Iran Update, January 28, 2026 (Key Takeaways), 28 January 2026 ↩

141. Fararu News, Soldiers’ salaries in 1405; which group gets 18.6 million?, 16 February 2026 ↩

142. Ekhtebar, …  Addition of Articles to the Law on Public Service (16 April 1986), 20 July 2014 ↩

143. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

144. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.154), 24 July 2023 ↩

145. ISNA, … exemptions and salary increases for soldiers (English translation), 7 November 2023 ↩

146. XE.com, Currency converter – US dollars to British pounds, 2 July 2026 ↩

147. XE.com, Currency converter – US dollars to British pounds, 2 July 2026 ↩

148. XE.com, Currency converter – US dollars to British pounds, 2 July 2026 ↩

149. XE.com, Currency converter – US dollars to British pounds, 2 July 2026 ↩

150. Iran International, Iranian Military Introduces Salary And Service Reforms, 7 November 2023 ↩

151. Iran International, Iranian Military Introduces Salary And Service Reforms, 7 November 2023 ↩

152. Iran International, Conscript Arrested After Killing Five In Kerman Barracks, 22 January 2024 ↩

153. Iran International, Conscript Arrested After Killing Five In Kerman Barracks, 22 January 2024 ↩

154. Iran International, Soldier Kills Officer, Civilian Near Tehran …, 10 February 2024 ↩

155. EUAA, Iran – Country Focus (Annex 1), June 2024 ↩

156. EUAA, Iran – Country Focus (section 1.2.7.), June 2024 ↩

157. ISNA, … Deserter soldiers will be pardoned … (translated into English), 24 June 2024 ↩

158. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

159. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 15 July 2026 ↩

160. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 15 July 2026 ↩

161. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 15 July 2026 ↩

162. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 15 July 2026 ↩

163. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 16 July 2026 ↩

164. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 16 July 2026 ↩

165. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

166. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

167. Kurdpa, … Kurdish soldier, committed suicide … after … leave + stats and interview, 19 May 2025 ↩

168. ISW-CTP, Iran Update, January 28, 2026 (Key Takeaways), 28 January 2026 ↩

169. Fararu News, Soldiers’ salaries in 1405; which group gets 18.6 million?, 16 February 2026 ↩

170. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 12 August 2026 ↩

171. ExchangeRates.org.uk, Currency conversion – Iranian rials to British pounds, 12 August 2026 ↩

172. Fararu News, Soldiers’ salaries in 1405; which group gets 18.6 million?, 16 February 2026 ↩

173. Iran International, Conscripts say commanders abandoned them in bases …, 6 March 2026 ↩

174. Iran International, Desertions, shortages and army-IRGC rift strain Iran’s military, 12 March 2026 ↩

175. IRI, Civil Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Book 2), 23 May 1928 ↩

176. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

177. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

178. Ekhtebar, …  Addition of Articles to the Law on Public Service (16 April 1986), 20 July 2014 ↩

179. IHRDC, Mission, no date ↩

180. Khodadadi, Dr Bahman, On Theocratic Criminal Law … (Abstract of Chapter 3), September 2024 ↩

181. IHRDC, Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Book Five, 15 July 2013 ↩

182. IHRDC, Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Book Five, 15 July 2013 ↩

183. UNHRC, … Report of the Special Rapporteur on … human rights (footnote 55), 12 March 2025 ↩

184. IHRDC, Islamic Penal Code of … Iran - Book … Two (Article 284), 4 April 2014 ↩

185. IHRDC, Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran - Book One and Book Two, 4 April 2014 ↩

186. Ekhtebar, Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes (30 December 2003), 27 November 2014 ↩

187. Ekhtebar, Law on Punishment of Armed Forces … (30 December 2003), 27 November 2014 ↩

188. Ekhtebar, Law on … (30 December 2003) (Article 60(Notes 1 and 2)), 27 November 2014 ↩

189. Ekhtebar, Law on Punishment of Armed … (30 December 2003) (Article 60(c)), 27 November 2014 ↩

190. Ekhtebar, Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes (30 December 2003), 27 November 2014 ↩

191. Ekhtebar, Law on Punishment of … (30 December 2003) (Articles 57 and 67), 27 November 2014 ↩

192. Ekhtebar, Law on Punishment of Armed Forces Crimes (30 December 2003), 27 November 2014 ↩

193. Iran Data Portal, Constitution of the Revolutionary Guards, 7 September 1982  ↩

194. Iran International, Iranian Military Introduces Salary And Service Reforms, 7 November 2023 ↩

195. IHRDC, Islamic Penal Code of … Iran - Book … Two (Chapter 9), 4 April 2014 ↩

196. IHRDC, Islamic Penal Code of … Iran - Book … Two (Chapter 9), 4 April 2014 ↩

197. IHRNGO and ECPM, Annual Report on … Death Penalty … 2024 (pages 42 to 43), February 2025 ↩

198. IHRNGO and ECPM, Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran – 2025 (page 44), 13 April 2026 ↩

199. Ekhtebar, Public Service Duty Law (20 October 1984), 20 July 2014 ↩

200. DFAT, Country Information Report Iran (paragraph 2.157), 24 July 2023 ↩

201. EUAA, Iran – Country Focus (section 4.6.), June 2024 ↩

202. EUAA, Iran – Country Focus (section 4.6.), June 2024 ↩

203. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

204. Eghtesad Online, About Us (translated into English), no date ↩

205. Eghtesad Online, … exemptions for deserter soldiers? (translated into English), 13 May 2024 ↩

206. EUAA, Iran; Human rights situation [Q72-2024] (page 24), 17 October 2024 ↩

207. BBC Monitoring, Media Guide: Iran (Main news agencies) (via subscription), 18 February 2026 ↩

208. EUAA, Iran; Human rights situation [Q72-2024] (page 25), 17 October 2024 ↩

209. BBC Newsround, Eid-al-Adha: What is it and how is it celebrated?, 21 May 2026 ↩

210. Taghrib News Agency (TNA), Eid al‑Qadir …, 14 June 2025 ↩

211. ISNA, … Deserter soldiers will be pardoned … (translated into English), 24 June 2024 ↩

212. Fararu News, … the update on buying military service? (English translation), 14 September 2025 ↩

213. Iran News Wire, Iran: Mandatory Military Service and Millions of Draft Dodgers, 28 December 2024 ↩

214. Kurdpa, … Kurdish soldier, committed suicide … after … leave + stats and interview, 19 May 2025 ↩

215. Kayhan Life, About Us, no date ↩

216. Zeidan, Adam and fact-checked by Britannica Editors, 12-Day War, 16 July 2026 ↩

217. BBC Monitoring, Media Guide … (Conservative … websites) (subscription), 18 February 2026 ↩

218. Kayhan Life, Iranian Military Warns Against Desertion, Report Says, 26 June 2025 ↩

219. IHRNGO and ECPM, Annual Report on the Death Penalty … 2024 (pages 43), February 2025 ↩

220. IHRNGO and ECPM, Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran – 2025 (page 44), 13 April 2026 ↩

221. IHRNGO and ECPM, Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran – 2023, March 2024 ↩

222. ISW-CTP, Iran Update, January 28, 2026 (Key Takeaways), 28 January 2026 ↩

223. ISW-CTP, Iran Update, January 28, 2026 (Key Takeaways), 28 January 2026 ↩

224. Mehr News Agency, Call-up for those born in 2008 to sort out their military service, 16 May 2026 ↩

225. IRI, Consular Affairs, Mumbai, Special Military service exemption (Afv Rahbari), no date ↩

226. IRI, Consular Affairs, Mumbai, Buying Military Service, no date ↩

227. ISNA, Military service; a threat or an opportunity … (English translation), 25 September 2024 ↩

228. Iran Focus, Iranian Authorities Sentence Soldier to Death for Refusing …, 20 January 2026 ↩

229. Iran HRS, Execution for Refusing to Shoot During Protests, 20 January 2026 ↩

230. ISW-CTP, Iran Update, January 22, 2026 (Toplines), 22 January 2026 ↩

231. Iran International, US condemns death sentence for Iranian soldier …, 22 January 2026 ↩

232. ISW-CTP, Iran Update, January 22, 2026 (Toplines), 22 January 2026 ↩