Introduction

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Iran's sovereignty using the methodology of the Burke Institute. Sovereignty is assessed in 7 areas: political, economic, technological, informational, cultural, cognitive and military.

Each aspect is assessed on the basis of official data from international and national sources (UN, World Bank, UNESCO, IMF, ITU, FAO, SIPRI, PISA, etc.) without using politicized indexes. The maximum score in each direction is 100; the sum (up to 700) is the accumulated Sovereignty Index (Burke Index).

To adapt and adjust statistical parameters, an international expert survey was conducted for each of the seven components using a single questionnaire of 10 questions with a 10-point scale and one open-ended question. In totaфl, at least 100 experts from 50+ countries were interviewed for each indicator, taking into account geographical representation and specialization.

When calculating and analyzing the data, equalizing coefficients were used, bringing all data to a scale of 0-10 points. The final index value is the arithmetic mean between statistical data and expert estimates.

Below is an analysis in each area, a summary table and the main conclusions about the specifics of Iranian sovereignty.

Political sovereignty — 61.8

There are no foreign military bases in Iran. Iran's policy completely excludes the permanent military presence of other states, unlike its neighbors in the region. In Iran, national legislation takes precedence over international law: international treaties are valid only after their ratification by the Majlis and can be revoked if they contradict the Constitution or Islamic law.

WGI 2023 Political Stability Index: -1.69 (scale -2.5...+2.5), noticeably lower than the global average; the country is traditionally among the most unstable in terms of perception of the risks of coups, protests and terrorism.

Government Effectiveness (2023): -1.02 (14.1th percentile), Iran ranks in the bottom 20% worldwide in terms of the quality of governance, independence of institutions and the level of trust in public services. 0.656 (101st out of 193, UN EGDI 2024), this is an average level, the focus is on the development of public services platforms, but it is significantly inferior to the EU countries and the leading Asian states. In June-July 2025 (after Raisi's death), the approval of the last president was 66% (increased sharply due to the effect of "condolences".

However, before that, the average level of support was fixed at 30-40%; the rating of new leaders (according to polls) remains unstable, with pronounced criticism of the government's domestic and foreign policies.

The country participates in the UN, OPEC, the Islamic Conference, NAM, the SCO, BRICS+, the EAEU, the Alliance of Caspian Littoral States, cooperates with BRICS and EAEU members, but does not delegate internal sovereignty to external institutions in principle — all decisions are subject to internal approval.

Iran is a party to a number of multilateral conventions, but:It does not recognize the jurisdiction of international courts (The Hague, ICC) in relation to its internal affairs. In cases where proceedings are initiated by other States (France, ICJ — 2025, Canada/Ukraine/Sweden), participates only formally, disputes the jurisdiction of cases. A unitary state with a high degree of centralization. Power is divided between the elected president, the supreme leader, and the appointed provincial governors, but key decisions are prepared and made by the federal center (Tehran, the Security Council, and the Majlis).

The intelligence and counterintelligence System (MOIS, IRGC Intelligence) operates under the supervision of the Supreme Leader; parliamentary or judicial oversight formally exists, but real transparency is minimal.

International analysts estimate the level of civil control as extremely low, with scandals involving wiretapping, surveillance, threats to journalists, etc. in 2025.

Data completeness assessment: the main indicators are available from international sources, coverage is 96%.

Economic sovereignty — 60.7

GDP per capita is $16,700-19,900 (2025, World Bank, IMF, and TradingEconomics estimates; global average is $22,400-27,000). The minimum values are $16,224 (2024), the IMF forecast is $19,960 for 2025. Sovereign gold reserves are $33.8 billion USD (January 2025, data from the US Federal Reserve), taking into account sanctions, only part of them is available; in 2015, up to $128 billion, but some of the funds are frozen abroad.

The national debt is 34-40% of GDP (36.8% in 2024, IMF; forecast to grow to 39.9% by the end of 2025), the debt is considered moderate by world standards. In terms of domestic production, the country is close to self—sufficiency in the main food groups (grain, sugar, milk, meat, vegetables, fruits).

But in 2024-2025, there was a sharp decline in feed stocks and dependence on imports of soybeans and corn (a 60% drop in imports), farmers protested and prices rose, which forced the authorities to restrict exports and increase government purchases. Iran provides 100% of fuel and natural gas, over 90% of energy from domestic resources (oil and gas are the largest production in the region), and is actively developing renewable energy sources (the goal is 10 GW by the end of 2025; 2.5+ GW of renewable energy is in effect for August 2025).

Key reserves: oil is the third largest in the world (~208 billion barrels), gas is the second largest (34 trillion m3), copper, iron, aluminum, zinc, gold, lead, coal, and strategic rare minerals. Opening in 2025 — 7,000 tons of antimonium (10% of world reserves), uranium — up to 4.2 thousand tons of reserves, 14 operating uranium mines. The worst water crisis in 50 years: Tehran — 13% dam occupancy, >19 provinces in the country under threat of shortage, drying lakes, dry rivers, disappearing reservoirs.

By the spring of 2025, large cities remained with 5-13% of reservoirs, up to 77% of precipitation below normal (south), and occupancy is critically low in more than 10 provinces. The basic payment system is the Shetab Network. Since 2025, integration with the Russian Mir (implementation in 3 stages), NFC and Mir Pay are working on many terminals, expats and tourists from the Russian Federation can pay using Shetab — Mir.

Within the country, almost 100% of all payments are made in Iranian rials (IRR). The share of the rial in foreign trade is low (most export contracts are in yuan, dirhams, rubles, euros), Shetab-Mir increases settlements in national currencies with Russia and the EAEU countries.

The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) issues, sets rates, conducts independent monetary policy, issues the rial and regulates Shetab and Mir projects, servicing foreign trade and investment contracts. Data completeness assessment: the main macroeconomic indicators are available from official sources (World Bank, IMF), coverage is 92%.

Technological sovereignty — 56.6

R&D expenditures 0.73–0.79% of GDP (World Bank: 0.73% in 2021, maximum 0.79%-2019, average 0.49% from 2001 to 2021); below the global average (more than 1%). Import substitution in high-tech 4,500+ "knowledge-based companies" and 6,000+ startups are working to reduce dependence on imports in IT, pharma, and equipment.

Nevertheless, in terms of key equipment (servers, microchips, tool software, machine tools), the share of hi-tech imports is estimated at 60-80%. 44.9% of the adult population (25+) has a post-secondary or higher education (2022); the rate among young people (20-29 years old) exceeds 52%. 81.7–83% penetration (73.1–73.2 million users by early 2025), 146.5 million active SIM, 48 million social media accounts. 4G — 90% of the territory, 5G — only large cities. Fixed speed: 16 Mbps, mobile: 38.9 Mbps.

The largest: Iran Digital (national AI platform, winner of WSIS-2025), NIN (National Information Network, National Internet), Digikala (marketplace), Snapp (taxi), Shetab, National Land Window, electronic education (Iran Digital), banking, electronic medicine, public services.

Estimate: import of 60-80% of components in most segments of electronics, displays, telecom and computing equipment; localization efforts in defense and medicine, but key chips, tool software, industrial machines are imported.drmirabi+1 More than 50% of key public services are available online (digital agriculture, single point of sale, electronic voting/auctions); the Smart Services Window, a number of regional platforms for provinces, digital identification and smart e-gov projects are being implemented.

In 2025, Iran is among the top 8 countries in the world in research and implementation of stem cells and biotherapy. The production of insulin and plasma has already been localized (saving $300 million in foreign currency); according to the basic competencies of biotech, up to 70% of the needs are covered by national solutions.

Proprietary assembly/integration of industrial and medical robots, robotic manipulators, agricultural and user platforms — up to 40% of the sector is covered by "knowledge-based" companies. The main processors are imported, but local integrators and startups are developing. Iran does not produce mass—produced lithographic chips; microelectronics R&D is underway, ASIC and IC architectures are being patented, individual MEMS/sensors components are being produced, but the mass production of chips and key platforms is 95-99% import.

Data completeness assessment: key indicators are obtained from WIPO, ITU, UNESCO, which provides 82% coverage.

Information sovereignty — 61.2

The national CERT-CCIRT has been in operation since 2012, the main functions are incident monitoring and response; according to the GCI (Global Cybersecurity Index, ITU), 54th out of 194 countries (2024).

NCSI ranks 133rd out of 160 on the integral score (19.48/100), which reflects the fulfillment of basic requirements, but not industry leadership.

There are at least 7 major IXPs: Tehran (central), Bumahen, Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, Tabriz, etc. — all serve the National Information Network (NIN), maintain a high level of communication between the regions, even when isolated from the Internet. 98%+ of media content on TV, radio, and in the press is produced in Persian (Farsi), magazines and news specials are available in Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Arabic, and Armenian for diasporas and ethnic minorities.

Only the domestic segment of the media is supported in the country, while foreign Persian-language media are officially filtered and criticized. Iran bans major foreign platforms (YouTube, Facebook, X, Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.), filters traffic, and denies BigTech licensing. The focus is on local alternatives (Aparat, Rubika, Soroush, Baleh), active regulation of the state monopoly in IT, and initiatives for “digital sovereignty.”

The updated competition law for state-owned companies and IT giants has been in force since 2024. More than 82% of television and 90% of radio content is nationally produced (news, series, music, propaganda, education), and up to 75-80% of local and Iranian regional products are available on streaming and digital platforms.

Key segments are covered by domestic systems: ERP/MES, CRM, document management systems, treasury, fintech, cloud, analytics and security; the largest are Fanap, ParsOnline, Douran, SNAPP, Data Gostar. Integration with popular marketplace platforms and eGov solutions for business. 81.7–83% of the population are Internet users (73 million people), 52.2% are active in social media; national platforms cover machine-readable public services (land, medicine, transport, taxes, identification), the digital economy covers almost all major service sectors.

Iran has implemented national cloud platforms: since 2018, the national Cloud Data Center has been operating, the IT infrastructure for NIN is in operation, a competition and audit for new cloud providers based on ISO27017 and NIST are underway; critical data from government agencies is stored only in the country. 166% penetration (152 million SIM); the main operators are MCI (66% of the market), TCI/Irancell (23%), RighTel.

The entire infrastructure is controlled by national operators with a limited share of foreign shareholders, the networks cover 90% of the territory (4G), 29% — 5G. There is no separate law “On personal data”; protection is implemented by bylaws of the Ministry of Communications and the national information Security strategy, GDPR is actively applied for EU residents inside Iran, together with the new rules for regulating cryptocurrencies (CBI, 2025).

Responsibility for data leakage is under the Civil and Administrative Code.

Data completeness assessment: infrastructure indicators are available from ITU, CIRA, OECD, and specialized sources, with 98% coverage.

Cultural sovereignty — 77

29 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as of July 2025; 28 cultural (Persepolis, the Iranian Carpet, historical cities and monuments) and 1 natural (Lutskaya Desert). The latest addition is the prehistoric monuments of Khorramabad Valley.

Persian civilization: architecture (Persepolis, mosques of Isfahan), literature (Rumi, Hafiz, Omar Khayyam), carpet-making, miniature painting, music, inventions (qantagen, qanat irrigation systems), holidays (Navruz as UNESCO intangible heritage). Significant role in the globalization of Persian poetry and art; participation in expos and international summits.

The highest state award is Simorgh (cinema), the Hafiz, Saddi, Rumi (literature) Awards, and the Farhang National Art Award. In 2025, Iranian projects reached the finals of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The basis is holidays (Nowruz, Ashura), nepotism, collective ritual, respect for elders, a living tradition of poetry/literature, crafts (carpets, enamel, ceramics).

The central place is the Persian language and Islamic culture. 15 national and religious minorities are formally recognized, cultural centers operate, but since 2024 there has been an increase in forced assimilation, bans on teaching non-native languages, cases of persecution and restrictions (Kurds, Balochis, Arabs, Sunnis, Baha'is, Christians).

According to official data: about 650 state and university museums, 1,300+ libraries, hundreds of art galleries/theater halls, 18 state "houses of culture"; objects of registered monuments — 25+ thousand. Organization, participation and expositions in EXPO-2025, the year of Turkish-Iranian Cultural Relations (2025), extensive cooperation with Russia, Turkey, BRICS and Central Asian countries; international cultural weeks, joint theater and art projects.

In 2024, a new law on the protection of industrial property was adopted: the protection of patents, trademarks, and GI was strengthened, and an online registry for brands was introduced. A global brand — Persian carpet, coffee, sweets, tea, copper products.

Recognition in the world: Persian cuisine (fesenjan, ghormeh sabzi, shish kebab, biryani, sabzi polo, donderma, halva), an extensive range of regional dishes, tea ceremonies, confectionery and bread traditions. According to the Ministry of Culture (2022-2023): 57-62% of the population visit cultural sites once a year; 85% are involved in family and national rituals, 90% celebrate Navruz and other traditional holidays.

Data completeness assessment: basic indicators are available in UNESCO and national statistics, coverage is 89%.

Cognitive sovereignty — 68.1

Human Development Index (HDI) 0.799; 75th place in the world (UNDP 2025), classified as "High Human Development". 2.9% of GDP (2023, World Bank), the tendency to further reduce the share in the budget despite population growth. The global average is 4.2%. 88.96% (2022, MacroTrends), among young people (15-24) — 98.36%. Women: 82.5% (over 24), men: 91.2%; youth — almost complete literacy.

PISA 2022 data: 473 (mathematics), 486 (science), 473 (reading) are slightly below the global average, similar to Hungary, Turkey and France. Up to 70% of university graduates in STEM (women are the majority among STEM graduates, a world record).

Summer schools (for example, University of Tehran International Summer School), exchange programs, Persian language courses for foreigners, Erasmus+ through partner countries; the list of English-language programs is updated, several thousand students from Central Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Syria are admitted annually.

There are 15 officially recognized nationalities and hundreds of dialects (Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Arabs, Balochis, Turkmens, etc.), but language policy — the dominance of Persian, other languages in education and media — is prohibited, restrictions are discussed internationally. 47 state research institutes (university, public and private institutions, top IranDoc, Academy of Sciences, MSRT institutes).

The national digital platform “Iran Digital" (e-learning, public services, Moodle and LMS solutions at universities); more than 90% of students are involved in distance education platforms. Multi-stage system: state scholarships (Talented Student Support Fund), Elite Foundation scholarships, study abroad grants, competitions, research grants for young scientists, programs to support women in STEM.

The amount is thousands of scholarships, millions of dollars annually.

Data completeness assessment: education indicators are available in the UNDP, UNESCO, OECD, coverage is 90%.

Military sovereignty — 72.5

2.0–2.1% of GDP (World Bank), the military budget for 2025 is estimated at $23 billion, which is 35% higher than last year (taking into account hidden costs — possibly up to $30 billion). About 610,000 active personnel (Army + IRGC) plus up to 350,000 trained reservists, for a total of ~960,000 (the largest army in the Middle East).

Modernization: own MRBMS (Khorramshahr, Sejjil, Emad), Bavar-373, Fatah-360, Fatir anti-ship missiles, Mohajer-6, Shahed-129/136 UAVs, the latest electronic warfare systems, drones, new Solleman 402 tanks, preparations for the purchase of Su-35.

There are still problems with fighters (most of them are outdated).youtube In 2025, more than 900 types of weapons and equipment are being produced in the country (from UAVs and ballistic missiles to tanks, ground-based complexes and art. systems); almost the entire fleet has been upgraded with Soviet/Iranian technologies, and imports are minimal (except for components/engines).

There is a comprehensive security system in place (Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan): due to roadblocks, drones and regular military patrols; work on combating terrorism on the border with Pakistan and Iraq has been strengthened, the border guards of the Ministry of Defense and the IRGC are operating. 350,000 reservists (officially according to the World Bank and Wiki), plus up to 2 million Basij mobile resources in case of general mobilization with the threat of war.

Iran is not a member of any military alliance, the decisions are completely autonomous; it is actively developing defense partnerships with Russia (technology, joint maneuvers), Turkey, and China. The Supreme Leader has direct command. Large defense conglomerates (DMO, IRGC-affiliated companies, Shahed Aviation, Aerospace Industries Org., SaIran, etc.), export of UAVs, missiles, small arms and artillery weapons (for example, Shahed-136 to the Russian Federation and a number of countries).

Since 2025, new export plants have been opened in a number of partner countries. There are officially no warheads. The program (NPT) is positioned as exclusively peaceful; the technical possibility of rapid production of weapons ("nuclear threshold") is claimed, but there has been no public evidence or recognition.

There are several small military satellites (Noor/I) for communications, surveillance and electronic warfare, and the IRGC Aerospace Force's own control center is active. A powerful cyber command structure, active intelligence, and the creation of special information warfare and satellite monitoring units.

All parameters are reflected in the annual reports of SIPRI, UNODA, the Iranian Ministry of Defense, the official portals of state—owned companies (Embraer, IMBEL) and the UN/NGO industry databases - 96% coverage.

Final Summary Table

The main conclusions

Strengths. One of the most energy-independent countries in the world: 100% of domestic needs are covered by its own oil and gas, huge proven reserves (2nd in the world in gas, 3rd in oil), the growing development of renewable energy sources, and the buildup of critically important mineral resources and rare earths.

Significant food autonomy for the main groups of goods (grain, vegetables, fruits, meat, sugar). Military-strategic and technological sovereignty. There are no foreign military bases; military solutions are completely autonomous, the largest army in the region (about 610 thousand active + 350 thousand reservists, plus the Basij movement).

The defense industry provides more than 900 types of its own weapons systems (UAVs, missiles, air defense, armored vehicles, artillery, new satellites, and the export of UAVs is a special pride). There is a well-developed cyber army and intelligence services, Noor/I military satellites, and a powerful IRGC Aerospace Force.

29 UNESCO sites, a powerful cultural influence (architecture, literature, music, carpet, cuisine, Navruz New Year — a world heritage site), annual international festivals, own major cultural brands. High level of STEM education, especially among women: up to 70% of university graduates in STEM. A rigid vertical of power (full autonomy), an independent issuing center (the Central Bank of Iran and the real estate policy).

Almost 100% of internal payments are made in the national currency. Integration with alternative payment systems and launch of “hybrid” Shetab–Mir systems.

Weaknesses. GDP per capita (PPP) is twice lower than the global average ($16,700-19,900), the economy's dependence on raw materials, limited foreign exchange reserves ($30-35 billion), and sanctions make it difficult to import high-tech products.

Import dependence on high-tech and chips: 60-99% of components and technologies are imported (with the exception of defense and biotech). Insufficient spending on R&D (~0.7% of GDP), lack of international investment, lagging behind the leaders of digitalization and automation. Strong centralization of power with low—efficiency public administration (WGI Effectiveness is at the very bottom of the global ranking).

Political and social instability (-1.69 according to the WGI index), high level of internal criticism, smoldering protests, restriction of media freedoms and political rights. Adult literacy is below the standard (88.96%), problems in rural education; government spending on education is limited (2.9% of GDP).

Problems of access to clean water (water crisis in 19 provinces), deterioration of the quality of ecology and infrastructure. It does not recognize the jurisdiction of most international courts, limited participation in global projects, exposure to sanctions, weak transparency of institutions, suppression of minority languages, limited freedom of cultural initiatives of small nations.

Overall assessment: Iran's cumulative sovereignty index is 457.9 out of 700 possible points (above the average of 65.4%), which places the country in the top 100 in the global top.

Iran is a resource – self-sufficient, militarized, and culturally rich country with strong scientific, technological, biotechnological, and military autonomy, but vulnerable in terms of political freedom, economics, digital technologies, governance, water and educational resources, and integration into the global market.

The sovereignty profile indicates that Iran is a sustainably resourceful, militarized and culturally autonomous state with a strong vertical of power, broad levers of foreign policy and defense maneuver, but with noticeable problems of openness, integration, technologization, and under external and internal pressure.

The country's sovereignty is realized primarily through the economy, the army, culture, monetary independence and institutional isolation.