Tasnim � A 2019 report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute about world military expenditure is quite revealing which countries are advancing arms race in the West Asia region, Iran�s ambassador to the United Nations said.

�@SIPRI report on 2019 world military expenditure is quite revealing:

US is top spender with $732 billion, 3.4% of its GDP.

Saudi Arabia is 5th with $61.9 billion, 8% of its GDP.

Iran is 18th with $12.6 billion, 2.3% of its GDP.

So, who is advancing arms race in our region?� Majid Takht-Ravanchi tweeted late on Monday.

It came after a new report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute on Monday found that the US 2019 increase of $732 billion, which accounted for 38% of global military spending, is equal to Germany�s entire military spending for that year. The US spends about 3.2% of gross domestic product on defense annually.

�The recent growth in US military spending is largely based on a perceived return to competition between the great powers,� Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI, said of the findings.