On Sept. 30, Brig. Gen. Moussa Kamali, Iran's chief conscription officer, announced that compulsory military service in Iran will be extended from 21 to 24 months.
Military service has been a point of conflict between the youth and the establishment over the past three decades, ever since the 1979 revolution. All Iranian males are required to report for military service at age 18. However, college students can receive a temporary educational exemption, while others can seek exemption for medical reasons or if they need to care for elderly parents.