Iran: By the Numbers

For a close look at Iran and its activities.



Nuclear Activity

• 22: years the Islamic Republic of Iran has been developing its nuclear program. [8]

• 5,412: centrifuges being operated by Iran for uranium enrichment as of February 2009. Another 125 have been installed but are not currently being used. [9]

• 2,220 lbs. (1,007 kg): Amount of enriched uranium produced by Iran. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in February 2009 that Iran has more than a ton of low enriched uranium, which is enough to make a nuclear weapon. [10]

• 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. [11]

Terrorism

• 900: Hamas operatives trained by Iran. [12]

• 3,000: Hezbollah operatives trained by Iran. [13]

• $20 million - $30 million: Funding Iran provides annually to Hamas. Iran gave another $50 million following Hamas’s victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections. [14]

• $200 million: Funding Iran provides to Hezbollah annually. Iran also gave Hezbollah an additional $300 million following Israel’s defensive war against Hezbollah in 2006. [15]

• $2 million: Annual funding Iran gives Palestinian Islamic Jihad. [16]

• 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. [17]

• 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. [18]

• 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. [19]

• 70,000: Suicide bombers in Iran who have volunteered to attack Israel. [20]

• 200 122mm Grad-type Katyusha rockets, provided by Iran, were fired by Hamas at Israeli cities during Operation Cast Lead. [21] 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 – Jan. 18. [22]

• 40 countries and 5 continents in which Hezbollah is active. [23]

• 995: Days Iran-backed Hamas has held Israeli Gilad Shalit captive since kidnapping him from Israel on June 25, 2006 in an unprovoked, cross-border raid. [24] [25]

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). [26]

• 39 child offenders executed by Iran since 1990, according to Amnesty International, the most recent in January 2009. [27]

• Approximately 381 people executed in Iran in 2008. [28]

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. [29]

• 400 employees and 26 correspondents who work for Press TV, an Iranian news network funded by the Iranian government. [30]

• 10 percent – 30 percent: Percentage of income many residents of Maicao, Colombia, donate to Hezbollah. [31]

• 1: Flights per week between the Iranian capital, Tehran and Caracas, Venezuela. [32]


Significant International Investments in Iran [33]

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

Footnotes: 

[1] “Obama: U.S. to continue sanctions against Iran,” Xinhua, March 13, 2009, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/13/content_11002887.htm

[2] “State Sponsors: Iran,” Council on Foreign Relations, Aug. 2007, http://www.cfr.org/publication/9362/

[3] Shipman, Tim; “Iran has enough uranium 'to build a nuclear bomb,’” The Daily Telegraph, Feb. 20, 2009, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/4731092/Iran-has-enough-uranium-to-build-a-nuclear-bomb.html

[4] “Obama: U.S. to continue sanctions against Iran,” Xinhua, March 13, 2009, http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/13/content_11002887.htm

[5] Ibid.

[6] Spillius, Alex, “'Special relationship' strained: US criticises UK's vow to talk to Hezbollah,” The Daily Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4982046/Special-relationship-strained-US-criticises-UKs-vow-to-talk-to-Hezbollah.html

[7] Spillius, Alex, “'Special relationship' strained: US criticises UK's vow to talk to Hezbollah,” The Daily Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4982046/Special-relationship-strained-US-criticises-UKs-vow-to-talk-to-Hezbollah.html

[8] Spector, Leonard, “Iranian Nuclear Program Remains Major Threat Despite Partial Freeze of Weapons,” Center for Non-proliferation Studies, Dec. 6, 2007, http://cns.miis.edu/stories/071206.htm; Shipman, Tim, “Iran has enough uranium 'to build a nuclear bomb,'” The Daily Telegraph, Feb. 20, 2009, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/4731092/Iran-has-enough-uranium-to-build-a-nuclear-bomb.html

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

[10] Lappin, Yaakov, “Iran Secretly Accelerated A-bomb Drive,” The Jerusalem Post, Feb. 22, 2009 http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304841494&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull; Shipman, Tim, “Iran has enough uranium 'to build a nuclear bomb'” The Daily Telegraph, Feb. 20, 2009, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/4731092/Iran-has-enough-uranium-to-build-a-nuclear-bomb.html

[11] 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;

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

[13] “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

[14] “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

[15] 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

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

[17] 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/

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

[19] “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

[20] “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

[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; Information relayed to The Israel Project by the IDF Spokesperson Unit, Feb. 19, 2009

[22] “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

[23] “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

[24] Bring Gilad Shalit Web site. Retrieved March 13, 2009, http://www.bringgiladhome.com/index.php

[25] 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

[26] “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

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

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

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

[30] “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

[31] 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

[32] 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

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