IRAN By the Numbers

This is by the "Israel Project" a non-profit that freely sends out information to the press. Quite impressive.


Iran: By the Numbers

President Barack Obama recently warned that time is “running out” for Iran to join international negotiations over its nuclear program.[1] The Islamic Republic, the world’s leading state-sponsor of terror, has been deceiving the international community about its nuclear activities for almost a decade, prompting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to declare that “the international community has no choice today but to draw a line in the sand” regarding Iran’s nuclear aspirations.[2]

Following are facts and figures relating to Iran’s nuclear violations, terror sponsorship and domestic and international affairs.

Nuclear Activity

• 5,412: Centrifuges Iran is operating for uranium enrichment as of February 2009. Another 125 have been installed but are not currently being used.[3]

• 2.75 kilograms (6.1 lbs): Amount of low-enriched uranium (LEU) Iran was reportedly producing daily as of June 5, 2009. At this rate, Iran would have enough weapons-grade uranium to create two nuclear weapons by February 2010. If all reported 7,052 centrifuges were used, the weapons could be developed as early as mid-December 2009.[4]

• 4: UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions calling for Iran to halt its uranium enrichment program which Iran is currently defying: UNSC resolutions 1696, 1737, 1747 and 1803.[5]

• 3,000: Number of centrifuges IAEA inspectors confirmed the once-secret Qom nuclear facility is capable of housing; enough to produce material for nuclear weapons but unsuitable for the production of fuel for civilian purposes.[6]

• Approximately 6: Countries—including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey—which would also pursue nuclear technology if Iran’s nuclear program continues to develop, initiating a Middle East arms race and destabilizing the entire region.[7]

Terrorism

• 900: Hamas operatives trained by Iran.[8]

• 3,000: Hezbollah operatives trained by Iran.[9]

• $20 million - $30 million: Funding Iran provides annually to Hamas. Iran gave another $50 million following Hamas’s victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections.[10]

• $200 million: Funding Iran provides annually to Hezbollah. Iran also gave an additional $300 million following Israel’s defensive war against Hezbollah in 2006.[11]

• $2 million: Funding Iran provides annually to Palestinian Islamic Jihad.[12]

• 29 killed and 242 wounded in the bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1992. In February 2008, a U.S. judge ruled that Hezbollah and Iran were responsible for the bombing. The judge awarded the family of David Ben Rafael, one of the victims of the attack who was born in the United States, $63 million in damages and interest owed.[13]

• 85 killed and 300 wounded in the bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires in 1994. In October 2006, Argentine prosecutors accused Hezbollah of carrying out the bombing and the government of Iran for instructing Hezbollah to do so.[14]

• 7: Iranians charged in the bombing of Argentina’s AMIA Jewish center, including former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The Lebanese Hezbollah commander Imad Mugniyeh, who was killed in February 2008, was also charged in the bombing. The charges were made by Argentine prosecutors in October 2006 and Interpol issued international arrest warrants for six of those charged in March 2007, although not for Rafsanjani.[15]

• 70,000: Suicide bombers in Iran who have volunteered to attack Israel.[16]

• 500: Tons of advanced weaponry seized Nov. 3 by the Israeli Navy from an Iranian ship headed to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.[17] Weapons seized include: 9,000 mortar bombs, 2,000 Katyusha artillery rockets, 3,000 recoilless gun shells, 20,000 grenades and more than a half million rounds of small arms ammunition.[18]

• 60 kilometers (37 miles): Distance Iran-funded rockets given to Hamas can reach. If fired from Gaza, the rockets could hit Tel Aviv.[19]

• 200: 122mm Grad-type Katyusha rockets, provided by Iran and fired by Hamas at Israeli cities during Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s defensive operation in Gaza.[20] Iran has also supplied Hamas with 120mm standard Iranian manufactured mortar shells, dozens of which were fired at Israel during the defensive operation, Dec. 27, 2008 – Jan. 18, 2009.[21]

• 40 countries and 5 continents: Areas where Hezbollah is active.[22]

• 1,248: Days Iran-backed Hamas has held Israeli Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit captive since kidnapping him from Israel on June 25, 2006 in an unprovoked, cross-border raid.[23]

Domestic Affairs: Crime and Punishment

• 6.0: Freedom House’s rating of Iran’s freedom status (7.0 being the lowest and 1.0 the highest).[24]
• 39: Child offenders executed by Iran since 1990, according to Amnesty International; the most recent of these executions occurred in January 2009.[25]

• Approximately 381: People executed in Iran in 2008.[26]

• Approximately 20 people were killed and more than 1,000 arrested during clashes between police and protesters following the fraudulent June re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.[27]

International Affairs

• 20: Languages in which radio and television programs are aired by the government-controlled World Service of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Company.[28]

• 400 employees and 26 correspondents who work for Press TV, an Iranian news network funded by the Iranian government.[29]

• 10 – 30: Percentage of income residents of Maicao, Colombia donate to Hezbollah.[30]

• 1: Flight per week between the Iranian capital, Tehran and Caracas, Venezuela.[31]

Significant International Investments in Iran [32] 

Please click here for more information about global business in Iran (courtesy IranTracker)

 1. BNP Paribas, France
 2. ING, the Netherlands
 3. Royal Dutch Shell plc, the Netherlands
 4. China National Petroleum Company, China
 5. Gazprom, Russia
 6. Lukoil, Russia
 7. Essar Oil, India
 8. Hyundai, South Korea
 9. Siemens, Germany
10. Nokia, Finland
11. Mitsubishi, Japan
12. HSBC, London
13. Volvo, Sweden

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Footnotes: 

[1] Goldman, Julianna and Chen, Edwin, “Obama says time running out for Iran in Negotiations,” Bloomberg, Nov. 15, 2009, http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=apkmWa8ihIrM&pos=9

[2] Sanger, David and Broad, William, “U.S. and Allies Warn Iran Over Nuclear Deception,” The New York Times, Sept. 25, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/world/middleeast/26nuke.html?pagewanted=2&_r=3

[3] Leyne, Jon, “Iran announces nuclear expansion,” BBC News, July 26, 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7526894.stm 



[4] Albright, David and Shire, Jacqueline, “ IAEA Report on Iran Centrifuge and LEU increases; access to Arak reactor denied; no progress on outstanding issues,” Institute for Science and International Security, June 5, 2009, http://www.isisnucleariran.org/assets/pdf/Iran_IAEA_Report_Analysis_5June2009.pdf

[5] UN Security Council Resolution (UNSC) 1696 (2006), http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sc8792.doc.htm; UNSC Resolution 1737 (2006), http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sc8928.doc.htm; UNSC Resolution 1747 (2007), http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sc8980.doc.htm; UNSC Resolution 1803 (2008), http://un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sc9268.doc.htm 



[6] Sanger, David; Broad, William, “Inspectors Fear Iran Is Hiding Nuclear Plants,” Nov. 16, 2009, The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/world/middleeast/17nuke.html

[7] “Iran could trigger nuclear arms race in Middle East,” Haaretz, June 03, 2009, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1069167.html

[8] “Hamas,” Council on Foreign Relations, http://www.cfr.org/publication/8968/, accessed July 7, 2008



[9] “Hezbollah as a strategic arm of Iran,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Center for Special Studies, September 8, 2006, http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/iran_hezbollah_e1b.htm 



[10] “Hamas," Council on Foreign Relations Web site, http://www.cfr.org/publication/8968/, accessed July 2, 2007; “Iran pledges $50m Palestinian aid,” BBC, April 16, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4914334.stm 



[11] Ghattas, Kim, “Regional powers fight over Lebanon,” BBC, April 27, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6595909.stm; Wilson, Scott, “Lebanese Wary of a Rising Hezbollah,” The Washington Post, Dec. 20, 2004, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12336-2004Dec19_2.html

[12] “The Islamic Jihad,” YnetNews, Dec. 22, 2007, http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3484933,00.html 



[13] Gerstein, Josh, “Iran Ruled Responsible for '92 Israeli Embassy Bombing,” Feb. 27, 2008, http://www.nysun.com/foreign/iran-ruled-responsible-for-92-israeli-embassy/71936/ 



[14] Gerstein, Josh, “Iran Ruled Responsible for '92 Israeli Embassy Bombing,” Feb. 27, 2008, http://www.nysun.com/foreign/iran-ruled-responsible-for-92-israeli-embassy/71936/; “Iranians sought for B Aires bomb,” BBC, March 15, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6454917.stm; “Iran charged over Argentina bomb,” BBC, Oct. 25, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6085768.stm



[15] “Iranians sought for B Aires bomb,” BBC, March 15, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6454917.stm; “Iran charged over Argentina bomb,” BBC, Oct. 25, 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6085768.stm

[16] “Iran says over 70,000 students sign up for martyrdom operations,“ Xinhua, January 6, 2009, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/06/content_10608923.htm 



[17] “Documented proof of Iranian complicity in arms smuggling to terrorists,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nov. 11, 2009,http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/The+Iranian+Threat/Support+of+terror/Proof_Iranian_arms_
smuggling_to_terrorists_Nov+2009.htm

[18] “Israeli naval force intercepts Iranian weapon ship,” Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nov. 4, 2009, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Terrorism+and+Islamic+Fundamentalism-/nava-force-intercepts-Iranian-weapon-ship-4-Nov-2009.htm

[19] “Hamas test-fires rockets ‘of strategic range’ into the Mediterranean Sea” The World Tribune. Nov. 4, 2009 http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2009/me_israel0861_11_04.asp

[20] “Summary of rocket fire and mortar shelling in 2008,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, Jan. 1, 2009, http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/ipc_e007.pdf; “Hamas Rockets,” Global Security.org, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/hamas-qassam.htm, accessed Feb. 19, 2009; Information relayed to The Israel Project by the IDF Spokesperson Unit, Feb. 19, 2009



[21] “Summary of rocket fire and mortar shelling in 2008,” Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, Jan. 1, 2009, http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/ipc_e007.pdf; “Hamas Rockets,” Global Security.org, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/hamas-qassam.htm, accessed Feb. 19, 2009 



[22] “Hezbollah, a Global Terrorist Organization,” International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, March 10, 2006, http://www.ict.org.il/Articles/tabid/66/Articlsid/231/Default.aspx



[23] Bring Gilad Shalit Web site. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2009, http://www.bringgiladhome.com/index.php; Harel, Amos; Issacharoff, Avi; Haaretz Service and Reuters, "Two soldiers killed, one missing in raid on IDF post," Haaretz, June 25, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/730994.html





[24] “Combined Average Ratings: Independent Countries, 2008,” Web site of Freedom House, http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=410&year=2008, accessed on Feb. 25, 2009 



[25] “Executions of child offenders since 1990,” Amnesty International, Jan. 2009, http://www.amnesty.org/en/death-penalty/executions-of-child-offenders-since-1990

[26] “Reported executions in Iran,” Human Rights & Democracy for Iran, http://www.iranrights.org/english/newsletter.php, accessed Feb. 19, 2009 



[27] “Country Profile: Iran,” BBC, Nov 04, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/790877.stm

[28] Vaziri, Haleh, “The Islamic Republic's world service and Iranian public diplomacy,” AudienceScapes, Oct. 16, 2008, http://www.audiencescapes.org/Iran-diplomacy-irib-broadcast/ 



[29] “Iran to launch Press TV,” AME Info, June 24, 2007, http://www.ameinfo.com/124401.html; “Iran launches English TV channel,” BBC, July 2, 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6260716.stm 



[30] Library of Congress, “A Global Overview of Narcotics-Funded Terrorist and Other Extremist Groups”, as seen in “Venezuelan Ties to Hezbollah” International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, August 18, 2008, http://www.ict.org.il/NewsCommentaries/Commentaries/tabid/69/Articlsid/477/Default.aspx



[31] Romero, Simon, “Venezuela and Iran strengthen ties,” International Herald Tribune, March 3, 2007, http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/03/news/web0303.venez.php



[32] “IranInteractive: International Companies,” The American Enterprise Institute, retrieved March 16, 2009, from http://www.aei.org/IranInteractive/

 

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