Iran Military Boost Signals Resolve to Resist U.S. Pressure
- Lawmakers approve $609 million for missiles, elite forces
- Trump has expanded sanctions on Iran over its foreign policy
QuickTake: What’s Next for Iran’s Economy
Iranian lawmakers voted to raise spending on the nation’s missile program and elite forces, bolstering twin pillars of the security establishment that are at the center of a growing dispute with the U.S.
Parliament on Sunday overwhelmingly approved a bill sanctioning an additional 20 trillion rials ($609 million) for Iran’s missile program and the Qods Force arm of the Revolutionary Guards. The legislation cited “hostile” U.S. policies against Iran and American “adventurism in the region,” according to Tasnim news agency. President Donald Trump has expanded sanctions on Iran and swung behind its Gulf rivals since taking office, amid signs he might attempt to sink the 2015 nuclear accord that opened the Islamic Republic for business.