Draftees who conduct research activities for the Armed Forces can reduce their compulsory military service by 2-19 months under a new revision to conscription rules valid till 2020, said Seyed Alireza Qasemi, deputy director of the Elite Foundation at the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. “Graduates with master’s degree or studying PhD are eligible as well as prospective students for the master’s or PhD program in the country,” Iran Online News (ION) website quoted him as saying. Students can go directly to the relevant Army offices in the country and check the provided list of 100 research topics, compiled in cooperation with the Judiciary, to choose research projects related to their field of study and interest. Currently, the period of mandatory military service is 21 months.
