Iran S Economy Under The Islamic Republic

After detailed discussions of the economy's basic sectors, major national economic trends, and the government's economic policies, the author offers an assessment of the economy's overall performance against the regime's initial agenda. The final chapters discuss the extent of the dilemma confronting the government.

Iran has received much attention from a geopolitical and regional standpoint, but its economic challenges have not attracted a similar degree of interest. With a population of 69 million, considerable hydrocarbon resources, a dynamic and entrepreneurial middle class, and a relatively well-educated labor force, Iran's economic potential is considerable. This volume takes stock of critical developments in the Iranian economy in recent years. The study reviews the key issues and policy responses, highlights the nature of the challenges ahead, and draws implications for the next phase of reforms. The authors conclude that major challenges remain, although significant advances have been made in recent years in opening up the economy to international trade and foreign direct investment, encouraging the private sector, removing exchange restrictions, reforming the tax system, and enhancing macroeconomic management.

This title provides an in depth study of Iran’s post 1979 Revolution economy under the Islamic Republic, with new material and related journal articles combined under one roof in a novel and reader friendly style. The volume starts with an original text, summarizing the development of the Iranian economy under five successive administrations, in five distinct phases. Following this are fifteen accompanying articles providing detailed information that expands on, and compliments, the discussion in the original material. Appropriate references on specific topics are made to each relevant article, ensuring the material is easily accessible to the reader. Topics discussed include public finance, employment, banking, petroleum, privatization, and the exchange rate. Full references are also made to US and universal economic sanctions and their effects, with the legacies of the Khatami and Ahmadinejad administrations also covered. This versatile title is designed to appeal to a vast readership. The hurried business executive or high government official, interested in a quick review of the subject matter may simply read the original text while think tank researchers, research fellows and students can take the time to read the supplementary articles and review what is related to the topic of their choosing.

Contents: (1) Intro.; (2) Historical Context; (3) Overview of Iran¿s Economy; (4) Econ. Policy and Reform Efforts; (5) Iran and the Recent Global Econ. Turndown; (6) Econ. Stakeholders: Bonyads; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; Private Sector; (7) Econ. Sectors: Oil and Natural Gas; Ag.; Mfg.; Financial Sector; (8) Internat. Trade: Major Goods Traded; Key Trading Partners; U.S.-Iranian Trade; Internat. Sanctions and Internat. Trade; Trade Liberalization; (9) Internat. Financial Flows: Foreign Exchange Reserves; Foreign Invest. in Iran¿s Economy; Internat. Loans and Assistance; (10) Congress. Issues and Options: Unilateral and Multilateral Approaches to Sanctions; Impact of Sanctions on Iran¿s Economy and Policy; Action in the 110th and 111th Cong.

The relationship between religion and the state has entered a new phase ever since the Iranian Revolution more than three decades ago. The recent mass uprisings against autocratic rulers in the Arab world have highlighted the potency of Islamist forces in post-revolutionary societies in the region, a force arguably unlocked first by Iran’s version of the ‘spring’ three decades ago. The economic ramifications of these uprisings are of special interest at a time when the possibility of the creation of Islamic states can have implications for their economic policy and performance again. A study of the Iranian experience in itself can offer rare insights whether for its own features and characteristics or for its possible lessons and implications for recent events in the region. This book is concerned with the economic aspects and consequences of the Iranian Revolution in general and its interaction with the international economy in particular. Many studies have to date dealt with Iran’s economic challenges, policies and performance in the post-revolutionary period but its interaction with the international economy – although of growing importance – has not received sufficient attention. The contributions in this volume by experts in the field address ways in which in the span of three decades, Iran’s economy has evolved from a strong aspiration to develop an ‘independent economy’ to grappling with debilitating international economic sanctions.

This book examines Iran and its position in the contemporary world. It contains chapters on social developments in the country including gender relations, contemporary politics, international relations, relations with the US and Israel, nuclear weapons and energy programmes, oil and the development of the economy.

Beginning with an historical perspective, the text moves to examine dimensions of "Islamic Revolution" and ideology, oil, economic crisis and Islamic banking, and post-war political and infrastructural reconstruction in Iran.

The Political Environment of Economic Planning in Iran, 1971-1983: From Monarchy to Islamic Republic Hossein Razavi and Firouz Vakil Based on both research and first-hand experience, this book provides a politico-economic analysis of the operation of Iran's economy before and after the revolution of February 1979. The authors discuss the function and effectiveness of economic planning during the shah's tenure and relate the shortcomings of plan preparation and implementation to the explosive psycho-economic instability of the regime. They then discuss the institutional problems that the revolutionary regime has been facing in operating the economy and foresee the possible consequences of its failure to appropriately deal with these problems. Finally, analyzing the economic postures of important opposition groups, the authors outline future prospects for economic planning in Iran.