In a new report, the Iranian Chamber of Commerce Research Center has examined the state of Iran’s economy over the past 10 years and answered the question of why, despite the government’s claims that all the measures have been taken, the Iranian economy has not recovered.
Mohamad Ghasemi, the head of this research center, answering this question said: (ISNA, September 9, 2021)
- “First, Iran’s domestic and foreign policy does not serve to solve economic issues. If we say that economics is a priority, all political power, both at home and internationally, should serve the economy, but it is not. So, unfortunately, we have to say in our speeches that the economy is only the first issue of the country.”
This is a clear admission about the regime’s other priorities which are its regional meddling and missile production and a nuclear project, each of which is devouring the country’s resources. Therefore, there will be nothing left for the people and the country’s economy.
- “Unfortunately, there is no scientific perspective for managing economic issues in the country. If you ask members of the Expediency Discernment Council, Parliament, or the government how economic problems will be solved, they have scattered and traditional views on these issues.
Unfortunately, the setup of an ostrich farm or home appliance manufacturing plant or at best a petrochemical company, etc., is the symbolism of the economy. This is while economics is a system that systematically encompasses the monetary, financial, and international trade sectors. If we accept that the goal in the economy is to grow productivity, then all of this should serve productivity and innovation.”
This is a clear admission about the unprofessional and inefficient officials who have no expertise in the field of the economy.
- About the third reason for the current situation, he counted the dispersion of economic policy-making power in the country and said: “In our country, it is unclear who is responsible for the fiscal, monetary or foreign exchange policymaking. All of this is scattered in a variety of high councils and institutions.”
This is a clear admission about the widespread corruption in the country. An economy led by a mafia system in which no one accepts responsibility for the different branches of the country and the capital circulates between them without any supervision and control.
- He considered the fourth reason with a look at oil revenues and added: “The answer to this question should be clear: what are we going to do with the oil revenues if the sanctions are lifted? Now, during the sanctions, what we do with oil revenues is to supply basic goods and, to some extent, supply raw materials for production.
“This threatens us. Because it’s unclear how long this is going on, and while the other world is moving towards alternative energy, we may find out at some point that some of our underground resources are no longer functioning economically.”
Finally, this is a clear admission about the country’s economic backwardness which is mostly dependent on its oil resources without a significant development in the fields of science and technology, leaving the country and the nation futureless and unable to compete with other nations, while in most other countries progress continues to be made. Instead, for more than 42 years, the regime has wasted all the resources and manpower for its useless existence.
