[RogerD]

Iran is bigger than France or Germany or the UK or Italy. Iran has more people than France or the UK or Italy. Out of 220 countries it ranks 18th in size and 17th in population.

Exactly right. Land areas in sq km:

Italy 301,333 , Japan 377,873, Germany 356,910, total 1,036,116

Iran 1,648,000

Iran is substantially bigger than the combined Axis Powers from WW II, and I'm sure McCain knows that, even though Obama doesn't know or doesn't want to admit it. Even if you prefer to look at oil revenue or their enthusiam for terrorism and war instead of just area, the conclusion is the same. They're not tiny.

[wolf78]

Iran is substantially bigger than the combined Axis Powers from WW II, and I'm sure McCain knows that, even though Obama doesn't know or doesn't want to admit it. Even if you prefer to look at oil revenue or their enthusiam for terrorism and war instead of just area, the conclusion is the same. They're not tiny.

Iran is by no means tiny, however landmass certainly is only a minor factor when it comes to determining "strength" (e.g. military strength). Population size is one (i.e. number of potential soldiers. For comparison purposes:

Germany 82 million
Japan 127 million

Iran 70 million

However, what made e.g. Germany a major power in both world wars, was industrial output, which translates into the ability to sustain a war machine. Also there is the technological development of a society, both these factors play into the GDP. And that's where the real difference is:

Germany 3.3 trillion $ (slightly above China)
Japan 4.3 trillion $

Iran 0.3 trillion $(without the oil business probably an even lower number)