Iran and Tajikistan may share the same spirit, but they do not yet appear to share the same interests.
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All by Bourse & Bazaar Foundation
Iran and Tajikistan may share the same spirit, but they do not yet appear to share the same interests.
An open letter co-signed by 61 Iranian economists addresses the government and the Iranian people about the country’s economic challenges.
A new report from the Majlis Research Center offers the first assessment of what “verified” sanctions relief might look like, providing a glimpse into how negotiators will take forward a key demand set out by Iran’s Supreme Leader.
Raisi’s new cabinet is composed of men he has praised as “expert, efficient and revolutionary.” The question is to what extent the cabinet can implement the resistance economy model given its inherent limitations.
The Rouhani administration has lofty goals to grow Iran-Iraq trade as Iran seeks to expand its non-oil exports. But dysfunction at the border and a lack of government support have frustrated many Iranian exporters.
With less than a year until Iran’s presidential election, political camps are making preparations for what is expected to be a watershed contest to decide who will succeed moderate president Hassan Rouhani.
Iran’s giant automakers, Iran Khodro and Saipa, are in a tug of war with the Rouhani administration over demands to lift price controls. The state-owned firms are seeking to increase prices by 40 percent.
Several reports released by key ministries and research centers over the last few weeks warned of dire economic if the government did not rollback the lockdown, despite warnings from health experts about the risks of new infections.
The Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA), a payment mechanism to enable humanitarian goods to be delivered to Iran, is about to be implemented. On 27 January, an initial payment for the shipment of medicines to Iran was approved in the form of a trial run.
The contents of an email shared with Bourse & Bazaar by an official at Iran’s communications ministry suggest that China’s Bank of Kunlun is weighing whether to cease processing Iran-related payments. There is growing concern in Tehran that China may be planning to downgrade its trade relationship with Iran.
◢ The prepared remarks of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani delivered at the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2019. They are published here in full in the interest of providing fuller insight into Iran’s intended message on the potential for diplomacy with the United States.
◢ To help alleviate the strain of rising house prices, the Rouhani administration announced earlier this month that it would begin implementation of its long-awaited social housing construction campaign intended to increase the availability of affordable homes for low-income families. The National Action Plan for Production and Supply of Housing aims to construct 400,000 small and medium-size apartments.
◢ During a meeting with the Islamic Republic's political elite, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated calls for a “resistance economy,” but also placed new emphasis on the “increasing the ease of doing business.” The specificity of some of Khamenei’s advice and observations about Iran’s economy suggests a greater appreciation for the practical importance of economic reforms that go beyond well-worn political slogans.
◢ Working class Iranians could look forward to a hearty meal of meat stew or kabob at least once a week. But with meat prices soaring to all-time highs, Iranians are having to cut back on their consumption in yet another example of falling living standards as Iran’s economy falters under the pressure of sanctions and mismanagement.
◢ In a joint call coordinated by the Istituto Affari Internazionali and the European Leadership Network, Europe’s leading policy experts urge the United States to reenter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in order to avoid a proliferation crisis in the Middle East, repair the transatlantic relationship, restore respect in international law and multilateral diplomacy, and end the harms being inflicted on the Iranian people.
◢ Iran’s economy was already creaking as two weeks of flooding devastated communities across the country, killing 76 people and damaging critical infrastructure and industries. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians have been left to pick up the pieces at a time when economic pressures may mean that their government and fellow countrymen will struggle to provide adequate relief.
◢ Expectations were high when Iranian president Hassan Rouhani visited neighboring Iraq last month. During the trip, his first as president, Rouhani signed multiple trade deals with Iraq, where the return of peace and stability has renewed the government’s focus on economic development. Iran’s reinvigorated diplomacy towards Iraq reflects a new diplomatic and economic strategy towards its onetime foe.
◢ Aiming to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of gasoline, Iran recently launched the third phase of the Persian Gulf Star Refinery, after a massive investment of USD 4 billion. But given rising consumption, the future of genuine gasoline self-sufficiency in Iran might be less bright than the new developments at the Persian Gulf Star suggest.
New survey conducted by IranPoll in partnership with Bourse & Bazaar looks at Iranian attitudes towards economic reform and foreign investment with new detail. Iranians demonstrate high degree of openness to foreign investment and the economic reforms necessary to facilitate that investment. But they want multinational companies to do more to localize their offerings effectively.
◢ European business leaders and policymakers will convene with their Iranian counterparts at a critical time during the 4th Europe-Iran Forum in Zurich on October 3-4, 2017.
◢ The business community will be meeting to set an agenda for trade and investment as the Trump administration signals its skepticism regarding the Iran nuclear deal.
