Iran to shorten military service from 2011

The Iranian parliament (Majlis) has passed a new bill to cut military service in the country by 2 to 10 months for conscripts with university degrees, Iranian Press TV reported on 30 June 2009. Presently, military service lasts generally 18 months, but there are shorter terms for college graduates.
According to the latest Majlis ratification, military service for conscripts with a PHD falls 10 months. Master and bachelor graduates will serve 8 and 6 months lesser respectively.

The service decreased 4 and 2 months for associate degree and diploma holders respectively.
"The new regulation will be performed from the year 2011 and until then the current law will be executed," added Kamali who is the chief conscription officer of the armed forces.
The new regulation defines the maximum period of military service up to 24 months and the commander-in-chief has authority to change the period.

During the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, military service in the Islamic Republic lasted 24 months, but has since been gradually shortened to less than two years.

Sources: PressTV: Iran may cut mandatory military service, 30 June 2009; Center for Strategic and International Studies: The Gulf Military Forces in an Era of Asymmetric War - Iran, Working Draft for Review and Comments, Revised: June 28, 2006