JGalt
Diamond Member
- Mar 9, 2011
- 84,282
- 111,632
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Just like the Venezuelan people, the average Iranian citizen isn't getting shit from their country's oil profits either. Most is consumed by the military, government debt, and the costs of bypassing international sanctions...
"It is difficult to give a single percentage because the "profit" from Iranian oil is split across several opaque layers of government, the military, and a sovereign wealth fund. However, based on the 2025–2026 Iranian budget and recent economic reports, we can break down where the money actually goes.
The short answer: A very small fraction reaches the people directly through subsidies or services. Most is consumed by the military, government debt, and the costs of bypassing international sanctions...
1. The Official Budget Breakdown (2025-2026)
According to the latest budget figures, the distribution of oil export revenue is roughly structured as follows:
The Military (33%+): In a historic shift, the military's share of oil revenue has increased nearly fourfold. The armed forces have even been granted the authority to sell oil directly to fund their own infrastructure, bypassing the Central Bank entirely.
National Iranian Oil Company (14.5%): This is the standard cut for "extraction and production costs," though much of this is also used to maintain aging infrastructure under sanctions.
National Development Fund (NDF): By law, 48% of oil revenue should go here for future generations. However, the government habitually "borrows" from this fund to cover its own deficits. In the current 2026 outlook, the government is expected to take back nearly 28% of that 48% just to stay afloat.
Government Operations: Whatever remains (roughly 20-25%) goes into the general budget to pay for civil servant salaries, infrastructure, and basic services."
