Iran’s regime has grappled with myriad challenges, including economic difficulties, societal upheaval, and international political strain in recent years.

In response, a decisive shift has been observed in the government’s spending priorities, with a substantial emphasis on fortifying its security and intelligence agencies in order to maintain internal stability, ward off perceived threats, and assert regional influence.

Over the past five years, a marked surge in budget allocations to various governmental institutions has been recorded. Most notably, the Ministry of Information’s budget has grown nearly three-fold from 5,825 billion tomans in 2018 to an unprecedented 22,599 billion tomans in 2023. A similar escalation has been noticed in other parallel intelligence institutions, including the Intelligence Protection Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), whose budget has increased from 54.466 billion tomans in 2018 to 183 billion tomans in 2023.

The current budget also features an inaugural provision for cybersecurity, amounting to 847 billion tomans, reflecting the regime’s heightened focus on internet restriction, particularly in a context notorious for suppressing freedom of speech. The budget also grants significant funds to key paramilitary force, the Basij organization, and special police units, besides funding for 59 new penitaries.

In a move to ensure public security and order, the regime has allocated substantial funds within the security and intelligence category.

Notably, an evaluation of the budgets allocated to the regime’s religious propaganda departments over the past three years signals a discernible increase. A budget of 2,350 billion tomans is apportioned to its propaganda institutions, demonstrating an intent to fortify its domestic and global influence.

In contrast, when juxtaposed with the allocations for initiatives such as school milk distribution and development of nomadic tribes’ schools, the regime’s policy priorities become apparent.

Further illustrating these priorities, the Al-Mustafa Al-Alamiya University, a propaganda institution, has been assigned an ample budget of 1,170 billion tomans this year, while Imam Sadiq University, a supposed non-governmental institution, is slated to receive approximately 179.7 billion tomans from public funds.

The current budget underscores the Iranian regime’s emphasis on consolidating security, intelligence, and ideological influence both at home and abroad. These allocations, sourced from the country’s resources, seem to be in stark contrast with the funding given to sectors such as sports and recreation, culture and art, and public education. The extent of these budgetary decisions bears testament to the regime’s shifting priorities in the face of mounting internal and external pressures.

MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI  (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu