Economy
Garrett Nada The biggest news in May was reports of increased oil exports to Asia and discoveries of new fields. China’s imports of Iranian crude oil more than doubled in April compared to a year ago. And South Korea’s imports from Iran more than doubled between March and April. The…
Garrett Nada The biggest news in April was a gasoline price hike as President Rouhani began long-delayed subsidy reform. The cost of a liter jumped 75 percent; consumption reportedly declined by half within days. The move follows Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s warning that Iran will…
On April 29, President Hassan Rouhani defended his administration’s foreign and domestic policies in a primetime address on state television. He dismissed hardliners who have opposed his outreach to the West and economic reforms that have recently raised prices. Rouhani said that he is…
More than two dozen delegations of lawmakers, officials and businesspeople have visited Iran since the interim nuclear agreement was brokered in November 2013. Many Western countries and South Korea are particularly hopeful that Iran and the world’s six major powers – Britain, China,…
Iran’s economy has shown signs of stability since President Hassan Rouhani took office in August 2013, according to a new report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Inflation declined to about 29 percent in January 2014, down from about 40 percent in late 2013. But Iran’s “near-…
On March 26, the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars convened a panel of four experts to discuss prospects for Iran’s next five years. The speakers included:Shaul Bakhash (moderator)Clarence J. Robin Professor of History, George Mason UniversityBernard Hourcade Global…
Government mismanagement, rampant inflation and international sanctions have taken a heavy toll on Iran’s economy, according to a new study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Martin Cerisola, Assistant Director for the Middle East and Central Asia Department, visited Tehran from…
On February 5, President Hassan Rouhani did a live interview that sparked controversy before it even started. Some Iranian media outlets reported that there had been a disagreement between state television and Rouhani’s office, which preferred different journalists for the interview. The…
Nasser Hadian On the 35th anniversary of its revolution, Iran has found often novel compromises in blending Islam and modernity—politically, economically and socially. The government and most Iranians today share three goals: honoring the great Persian past and retaining an Islamic identity…
On January 23, President Hassan Rouhani invited oil companies to invest in Iran in an address to some 30 executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Without international engagement, objectives such as growth, creativity and quality are unattainable,” Rouhani said. “…