Lavan, Jazireh-ye Sirri, Khorramshahr (limited operation since
November 1992), Now Shahr

Merchant marine:
total: 132 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,238,293
GRT/5,658,259 DWT
ships by type: bulk 46, cargo 35, chemical tanker 4, combination
bulk 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction
large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 2,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 10, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 288 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 110
over 3,047 m: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 178
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 126
under 914 m: 32 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 11 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Islamic Republic of Iran regular forces
(includes Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces),
Revolutionary Guards (includes Ground, Air, Navy, Qods, and
Basij-mobilization-forces), Law Enforcement Forces

Military manpower--military age: 21 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 17,203,360 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 10,217,269 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 767,152 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $5.787 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.9% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Iran and Iraq restored diplomatic
relations in 1990 but are still trying to work out written
agreements settling outstanding disputes from their eight-year war
concerning border demarcation, prisoners-of-war, and freedom of
navigation and sovereignty over the Shatt al Arab waterway; Iran
occupies two islands in the Persian Gulf claimed by the UAE: Lesser
Tunb (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e
Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and Greater Tunb (called Tunb al Kubra in
Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran); it
jointly administers with the UAE an island in the Persian Gulf
claimed by the UAE (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye
Abu Musa in Persian by Iran)--over which Iran has taken steps to
exert unilateral control since 1992, including access restrictions
and a military build-up on the island; the