Department of Nutrition Sciences
(Med-Sci), Varastegan Institute for Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract:
Introduction
The Islamic Republic of Iran, a strategic historical country in the
middle-east with a rich source of minerals and oil, currently is one of
the missile power of the world (Graham 2011, Elleman 2015). Because of
the political nature of the Islamic Republic, the studies about Iran’s
impediment’s structure is limited or lacking but despite its military
strength and young population, facing national labour and financial
complications as well as sanction and disagreements (Mohammidi 2013,
Torabi 2013).
Military service is a complex matter, that changed several times from
sixteen century until now (Smith 2012). Military service generally was
in the two forms of obligatory during the war and full-time recruitment
during peace till World War I in 1908, that show the countries with
obligatory military service are more capable to defend that country till
the late 1950s that the new method of soldiery that was using
well-trained volunteered well-paid introduced by the United Kingdome and
the United States (Smith 2012). This new method of soldiery, which was
first used during World War II as special forces like Special Air
Service (SAS) and US-Marines as well as obligatory shown to be more
efficient till 21st century that the new more reliable drones, machines
and electronic warfares start to replace the manpower (Smith 2012, Shunk
2015).
However, there are still countries that use obligatory military
service law but few of them activate this law (Smith 2012). Some of
these countries are Iran, North Korea, Syria, Azerbaijan and Israel that
between them only Iran is in military peace since the end of the
Iran-Iraq war in 1988 (Smith 2012, Razoux 2015). Unfortunately, in Iran,
at least 24 months of military service is obligatory for all males elder
18 years old without any consideration to their educations and career
role that is highly related to financial disadvantages, brain escapes,
health concerns, ageing of populations and psychological concerns in the
Iranian society that confirmed and published by “The Parliament
of Iran” (Torabi 2013, Mohammad Yazdanpanah 2014).
Despite the well-known harms of this kind of soldiery in Iran for
individuals, their families and society, the pattern of soldiery has not
changed yet. The aim of the
current study is to review the harmful effects of obligatory military
service on the health of soldiers, society and economics in Iran and
compare it with slavery in the 18th century as one of
the first studies that review Iran's obligatory military from this point
of view.
Method
The rules related to Iran military service titled “National Law
for Military Service in the Islamic Republic of Iran” (Farsi: قانون خدمت
وظیفه عمومی) that proposed by “General Staff of the Armed Forces
of the Islamic Republic of Iran” and approved by “The
Parliament of Iran” on 21 October 1984 for the last time with 7
seasons, 66 articles and 58 notes, fully reviewed (Hashemi 1984). The
reviewed rules compared with the process of military service recruiting
in this country in 2021 and a randomized interview was made with some
soldiers. In addition, to support the complications that soldiers
declared, the studies related to soldiers’ health, and lifestyle in Iran were considered and reviewed. Because of the sensitivity of military service,
in the cases that were no related article about the complaints, the
official reports of“Islamic Parliament
Research Center Of The Islamic Republic Of IRAN” considered as
references (Torabi 2013, Mohammad Yazdanpanah 2014).
Result and Discussion
Military service law in Iran :
According to article 1 of Iran military service law (Hashemi 1984),
defending the independence and territorial integrity of the Islamic
Republic of Iran and the lives, property and honour of the people in the
religious and national duty of every Iranian and in the performance of
this duty all male citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran are obliged
to perform military service following the provisions of this law
(Hashemi 1984). No person included in the military service can be
exempted from service except in cases authorized by this law (Hashemi
1984). In article 11 and season 6 (articles 56 and 57) also issued, in
times of war and public mobilization, if necessary, those who have used
the exemption from the period of emergency service for any reason in
peacetime will also be summoned to the service (Hashemi 1984). This
while by referring to article 16, all conscripts who enter the emergency
service will take an oath of allegiance to the Islamic Revolution, the
Islamic Republic, the Constitution, and the Supreme Leader
(Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran)
in accordance with the regulations of the Army of the Islamic Republic
of Iran (Hashemi 1984).
Again, in article 2-7 and approves by the Armed Force committee, all the
males elder 18 years old with no regard to their occupation,
educational degree, talents and specialization are obligate to join the
Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran for 3 months of military
training and 21 months of services (Hashemi 1984). However, according to
season 5 (article 31 to 46) under some conditions could receive military
service exemption in Iran like having severe physical or mental diseases
(article 39 and 40), having an entirely disabled first-rate family member
in the condition of being the only child (article 44), the age more than
48 years old (note 1 of article 4) or still having student condition
during education and up to 1 year after graduation (article 31 to 37)
(Hashemi 1984). However, there are some pieces of an unofficial report
that the “Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran” have
not given the exemption to some eligible individuals. For example, in
March 2021, it was issued by the government, university graduations from
health-related subjects will pass their military services in the
hospitals due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But after field investigations
it was understood, a comparable amount of nurses, clinical nutrition,
clinical laboratory, and public health Master's and Bachelor graduations
are deployed at borderlines. They are also a share of evidence that the“Iran Armed Force” medical committee denied giving medical
exemption approval to some eligible mental or physically disabled
individuals that were confirmed by the medical committees of the public
hospitals.
Military service Absence consequences :
Despite the lack of any system to follow the absence of males from
military service, the Islamic Republic regime, announced a series of
limitations for those who will not introduction themselves for military
dispatch in article 10 and season 7 (article 58 to 67) (Hashemi 1984).
By referring to this article, these individuals are considered absent, and
the following activities are banned:
- Receiving any working or health insurance
- Issuance of business license, employment permit and membership in
cooperatives.
- Employment in any form of full-time, part-time, contractual, daily
wage and service purchase.
- Receive any loans and assistance for agriculture, industry, animal
husbandry and housing purpose.
- Registration of any non-compulsory transfer of property directly or
indirectly in notaries.
- Receive pensions from government and affiliated organizations.
- Continuing the education inside or outside of country (if was not able
to receive a firm offer up to 1 year from graduation from the
previous institute, in addition to a ban to study the same level of
education)
- Permission to partial or entirely leave of the country for any purpose
including education, therapy, vacation, working and etc.
- Participate in driving tests and obtain the driving license (currently
suspended for a limited period).
In addition to mentioned limitations, employers or employers of absentees
will be punished by paying a fine or other penalty that will be
decided. According to the limitations listed above, nearly all the civil
rights, even the basic ones, retains from absent individuals that highly
could influence their life.
Iran military service in actin :
The “General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of
Iran” claims about 180,000 to 250,000 new soldiers (total of 430,000)
are required each year except its official employed military forces.
this is while the United States Army, only have about 190,000
military personnel in Europe, the Pacific, Africa and Middle-east during
conflict (Eaglen 2015). On the other hand, Iran only have a 5894km borderline that based on this required manpower means 76 soldiers for each 1km
of borders! However, this is without consideration of its official
employed military forces that is estimated to be 140,000 to 280,000
personnel. So, what is the main use of this huge manpower? Despite It is
not possible to provide any official referable evidence because of both
sensitivities of the regime and the importance of military information
in Iran, some reports are available that shows except soldiers who are
at borderlines, some soldiers are engaged in an occupation that neither
related to their specialization nor their rank or the established
description for this service. Some of these works that were declared by
soldiers are 1. Gardening, 2. Shepherding, 3. Labouring, 4. Footman, 5.
Cleaning, 6. Officers personal drivers, 7. Secretary and 8. Doing
officers personal jobs like buying groceries, ironing, and taking care
of their children. This is while, some soldiers who were at barracks
declared, their two-year service is abstracted in daily marching without
any specific executive military training. Maybe it could be related to
political regards of the regime as one study suggested in states with
bigger militaries, regimes have more incentive and capacity for
repression (Savage 2017). This is while obligatory military units are
not a committed source for this purpose either and their only use is
during wars. So, the purpose of having this huge military manpower is
still unclear.
Iranian soldiers’ quality of life and salary :
The main reason for individuals to deny this 2 years’ service is the low
quality of life in military centres (Torabi 2013, Mohammad Yazdanpanah
2014). In one study and the only available study related to the
lifestyle of soldiers in Iran SF-36, a tool to assess the quality of
life, shown Iranian soldiers aged 23±3.057 are having a low quality of
life (Rezaei Jaberee et al. 2017) that confirmed the current report by“Islamic Parliament Research Center Of The Islamic Republic Of
IRAN ” (Torabi 2013, Mohammad Yazdanpanah 2014). One of the most
important factors of improving quality of life is the income of
individuals. There is evidence that the monthly stipend of obligate
soldiers is ranged from 2,400,000 IRR (equal to 10 USD) for private to
12,000,000 (equal to 50 USD) for Sergeant in comparison with a minimal
established monthly stipend of 35,000,000 (equal to 145 USD) and expense
of 32,000,000 (equal to 133 USD) for each person without accommodation
costs by the “Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran”. As
could be conclude, the salary of a soldier is significantly lower than
to even support his own simplest requirements as a master private (PV-3)
stated, “the stipend is not even enough for our bus tickets”. This is
while the annual income of private in Australia, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States
are 32,820, 27,400, 33,600, 9,250, 30,600, 33,200, 11,300, 26,000, and
23,100 USD respectively, according to the each country department of
defend published data. In addition, the low quality of barrack
environments and dormitories in Iran, in addition to the lack of any
welfare equipment could enhance the decreasing the quality of life
during military service.
Iranian soldiers Health :
The low quality of life, high-pressure working status, destruction of
character, enforcement and very low salary of soldiers could lead to
more complicated disorders. As a result of this model of soldiery in
Iran, Rezaei Jaberee et.al reported a worrying overall mental health
score of 43.70±20.49, vitality score of 52/12±22.43, emotional health
score of 52.12±22.43, communicational health score of 41.58±23.00 and
disorder due to emotional health score of 36.14±35.06 (Rezaei Jaberee et
al. 2017). Based on the questionary Jaberee et.al used, the higher score
shows a better situation in individuals while soldiers received only
half of these scores which are extremely low for this age (Rezaei Jaberee
et al. 2017). In addition to this study, another study with 171 young
soldiers in Iran reported 63% of soldiers are suffering from mild or
severe depression (Nosratabadi and Halvaiepour 2016). This is while, the
high risk of depression in Iranian soldiers during their military
service also reported in several other studies (Farsi, JABARI, and Ebadi
2006, Panjehband and Shokraei 2008, Torabi 2013, Mohammad Yazdanpanah
2014). Furthermore, Nosratabadi et.al also reported 28.4% of Iranian
soldiers had a suicidal ideology and additionally reported suicidal
ideation, depression and drug abuse are relatively significant in
Military Medical University soldiers that generally have a significantly
better life quality within Iranian obligatory soldiers (Nosratabadi and
Halvaiepour 2016).
In addition to harmful mental outcomes, many foundations could put
Iranian soldiers at risk of physical health loss as well as mental
health. This is while the detrimental relation of mental disorders on
general health is already well established (Prince et al. 2007). Also,
in addition to psychological risks, soldiers are suffering from low
quality of diet, low medical care and low hygiene environment and water
during their military service (MEHRABI, ESMI, and KHOUBDEL 2009). This
is while the importance of having a healthy adequate diet, having
routine medical care, and hygiene environment on improving the health of
individuals are well known and established from long-ago (Bartram and
Cairncross 2010, Willett 1994, Murphy 1996). As the official reports,
one study in 2007, reported approximately 98% of Iranian soldiers are
at risk of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection within 800 soldiers
(GHORBANI et al. 2007). In another study with 247 individuals, the
overall score of physical health was 59.35±17.88% (Rezaei Jaberee et
al. 2017). Moreover, The scores for having pain, general health,
physical performance and role disorder due to physical health was
56.07±20.36%, 55.43±17.84%, 74.76±20.36 and 51.21±33.92% respectively
that are extremely low for the age of 23±3.057 (Rezaei Jaberee et al.
2017). Another study also noted the length of service during Iran's
military service could put soldiers general health in serious danger
(Taghva et al. 2014). Additionally, Farsi et.al with three-hundred and
one 21.49±2.02 years old Iranian soldiers also reported a high risk of
losing health that could put their lives in danger (Farsi, JABARI, and
Ebadi 2006). These findings are also noted in the “Islamic
Parliament Research Center Of The Islamic Republic Of IRAN” reports
(Torabi 2013, Mohammad Yazdanpanah 2014). The conclusion of the published
paper are showing Iranian soldiers’ life is at high risk and required
immediate attention while no action has been made till now.
Comparison of Iran military service with slavery :
Slavery is a condition in which one human being was owned by another
(Kopytoff 1982). A slave was considered by law as property, or chattel,
and was deprived of most of the rights ordinarily held by free persons
(Kopytoff 1982, Hartman 2012). The cruel golden age of salvatory was
between 18 to 19 centuries that slaves became the main source of working
labour and economics (Hartman 2012). During this period, slaves
generally were combined from defeated nations and colonies, sold by the
parents or/and a clan chief or war prisons (Hartman 2012). During the
time this slavery was removed and all people including prisons of war
received the right to freely work and be paid (Kopytoff 1982, Hartman
2012). The similarity of obligatory military service with slavery and
the importance of civil rights was one of the reasons that this form of
service was cancelled or significantly changed (Beattie 2001). However, in
2021, this kind of slavery, named military service is still unchanged in
Iran (Beattie 2001). According to the military service absence
consequences, males elder 18 years old are not able to work, receive
health insurance or any loan that made this groups accept to give the
service or occupy burglary works as well as refugee and immigration
population. This is while during military serving their health and life
is at risk either. During the last few years, a new description for
slavery in the modern age was produced based on the old one. According to
the new description, slavery is a severe abuse of other people for
personal or commercial gain (Kara 2017, Landman and Silverman 2019).
This new kind of slavery surrounds us but often is just out of sight
(Kara 2017, Landman and Silverman 2019). In this new method of slavery,
people unwillingly can become forced to make our clothes, serve our
food, pick our crops, work in factories, or work in houses as
cooks, cleaners or nannies to provide a reliable source of income (Kara
2017, Landman and Silverman 2019). By relying upon the established
description for slavery and the condition of Iranian soldiers, the most
import similar factors between slavery and the current military service
method in Iran are:
- In both of them, individuals are forced to do things they are not
desired.
- The physical health, nutrition and, mental health of both are at high
risk.
- Both groups are receiving very high pressure from their holder.
- Both are used as simple labour with no attention to their abilities
and skills.
- Both are derived from the simplest civil rights like the right to a
fair trial, the right to government services, the right to education,
and the right to use public facilities.
By a simple comparison between slavery in the 18thcentury, modern slavery and the condition of Iranian males obligate to
service that was well discussed, the current method of military service
in Iran could be considered a kind of slavery between the modern and
18th-century forms of slavery. However, the end of
these 2 years is not the end of problems.
After 24 months of military services, now males are able to start their
career activity in their own country. In some cases, especially in those
who faced health and mental disorder, the therapies may start and has
their special condition. But those who pass this condition without any
severe outcome, now facing new limitations. The long period between
graduation and starting career activity especially in the educated
population could be named as one of the important disadvantages of
mandatory military service in Iran. There is evidence that shows a long
interval between learning and use could lead to entirely or partly
losing of learned skills in this population (Mohammad Yazdanpanah 2014).
As the report, this condition could affect the master's and bachelor's
graduations skills significantly and naturally, the quality and the
outcome of work will be lessened (Mohammad Yazdanpanah 2014). Other
limitations that were mentioned and linked to this method of military
service are brain escapes, increasing the age of marriage, ageing of the
population, losing young labour manpower and increasing rate of lower
quality employees that long-established by “The Parliament of
Iran” (Torabi 2013, Mohammad Yazdanpanah 2014).
As far as we, this is the first study that reviews the complications of
military service in Iran. Despite the huge negative effect of the
current model of military service in this region, the main question is,
why does Iran require this huge active military manpower that is not able to
support their primary financial, health, nutrition, and life
requirements?! One could be related to this abuse from these soldiers as
a free source of labour. The other could be related to increasing the
international military power statistics that could help in political
matters (Savage 2017). However, this question has remained, how can you
rely on an enforced army that has a problem in the primary needs that
for sure results in low morale within the army that “General Staff of
the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran” need to answer. For
this reason, according to the special financial condition of Iran, we
suggest the current form of soldiery being revised to
provisional-volumetry model with a significant increase in salary,
health, nutrition, and life quality to improve both the soldiers’ morals
and proficiency as well as productivity of the country.
Conclusion:
The current form of military service in Iran that could be compared with
slavery in the 18th century has a harmful effect on
the health, nutrition, and depression of individuals as well as
destructive association with national society and finance. However, by
improving the quality of military centres, salaries, and making a better
recruitment system based on voluntary, not only a significantly higher
morality within the army will be expected but also a better civilization
and national economy will have resulted.
Acknowledgement: First, we want to acknowledge all those braves
who are already fighting to change the current form of Iran's military
service to professional-voluntary military service as other developed
countries. Second, we want to thank the soldiers who help us in
gathering the information for this paper who declare to stay
unidentified.
Conflict of Interest: there is none to declare. However, the
author believes this paper could start a series of changes in the quality
and model of soldiery in this region by shouting the unpleasant status
of Iranian males.
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