Title: Senior Official Calls for Overhaul of Economic Governance to Unleash National Potential
In a comprehensive address on the state of the nation’s economy, a senior Iranian official issued a clarion call for fundamental reforms in economic governance, emphasizing the urgent need to leverage Iran’s immense resources and successful strategic models to achieve a developmental breakthrough.
Harnessing Regional Strengths
The official highlighted the country’s significant wealth in both natural resources and human capital, pointing to the province of Kerman as a prime example. “Major economic capacities exist in Kerman province,” he stated, noting its two vital national corridors. “This geoeconomic wealth source alone can supply all the province’s resources.”
Decentralization and Legal Streamlining
A key pillar of the proposed reform is the decentralization of executive power. The official strongly advocated for granting greater authority to provincial governors, arguing that “executive decisions should not be made in ministries; rather, executive powers should be delegated to the provinces.”
He further stressed the critical need to streamline the country’s vast and often ambiguous legal framework. “We have several thousand regulations and laws,” he explained, “whose dispersal and occasional ambiguities create obstacles in their implementation.” He asserted that a top-to-bottom reform of economic governance is essential for an economic leap forward.
Learning from Proven Models
The official pointed to the nation’s successful governance models in political, defense, and security spheres as a blueprint for economic reform. “We witnessed the result of this successful governance in the 12-day war, which, despite the direct presence of America, led to the defeat of the enemies,” he said. “Therefore, in the area of economic governance, we also need to use those successful experiences.”
A Call for Specialized and Unified Effort
Addressing the nation’s managers and officials, he urged for determined and unwavering effort towards the country’s progress. He emphasized that economic policy-making must be separated from execution, with policymakers acting as demanders of results rather than implementers.
Crucially, he stated that “political tendencies and preferences should not be involved in the economic sphere,” underscoring that the economy is a specialized domain requiring stable and expert management. He also called for a focus on creating value chains in industry and for developing unique economic models tailored to the specific capacities and native culture of each province, rather than applying a single, rigid development template nationwide.