Iran’s military will be subject for the first time to the kind of U.S. scrutiny reserved for China’s expanding forces as lawmakers seek more accurate assessments of the Persian Gulf oil power’s strengths and strategy.
Congress ordered an annual report on Iranian military goals and capabilities, including the country’s missile and nuclear programs, in a provision tucked into a 1,200-page measure authorizing defense spending. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law last week.
The demand for the analysis reflects lawmakers’ concerns that periodic U.S. intelligence estimates focusing on Iran’s nuclear efforts are too limited in scope. The U.S. and nations in Europe and the Middle East see current and potential threats from Iran, including its support of designated terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, interference in Ir… >>>
