Iran’s Pension Fund Chief Outlines Comprehensive Plan for Retiree Support and Systemic Reform
In a significant move to address the concerns of the nation’s retirees, the head of Iran’s Civil Servants Pension Fund has detailed a new, hands-on strategy focused on direct dialogue and systemic economic reforms to ensure long-term financial security.
A New Era of Direct Engagement
Dr. Aladdin Azouji, the CEO of the Civil Servants Pension Fund, announced the initiative during a meeting with retiree association leaders in Kerman province. He emphasized a shift towards proactive, on-the-ground engagement across all provinces.
“In this period, we are striving to have direct dialogues with retiree associations through field presence in all provinces,” Dr. Azouji stated. The goal is to collaboratively “compensate for the shortcomings of the past two decades” through both in-person and online meetings.
Addressing Deep-Rooted Economic Challenges
Dr. Azouji framed the pension funds’ challenges within the context of broader, long-standing national economic patterns. He identified a critical need to reorient the economy towards productive investment.
“The predominant view in the country’s economy, instead of focusing on production and productive investment, has shifted towards non-productive assets,” he noted. This shift, he argued, has distanced the national economy from production and public participation.
He further explained that structural issues, such as the late entry of youth into the job market and the early exit of workers, have created a “defective cycle” that weakens the funds’ financial resources.
A Multi-Pronged Action Plan
The Pension Fund CEO outlined several concrete steps already underway:
- Healthcare Access: Acknowledging challenges with supplementary insurance, Dr. Azouji confirmed that debt payments to the Mellat Insurance Company have begun. He stressed that 70% of paid resources will be directly allocated to retirees’ medical bills to ensure a tangible impact. Efforts are also in progress to settle debts with private hospitals.
- Economic Revitalization: Dr. Azouji highlighted plans to reorganize the fund’s economic holdings under the framework of the national development plan. Companies will be categorized as profitable, revivable, or loss-making, with strategies to strengthen, restructure, or resolve them accordingly.
- Welfare and Quality of Life: The “Hope Houses” for retirees are set to be transformed into hubs of “joy and tranquility,” with enhanced programs focused on health, sports, and recreational activities to improve retirees’ quality of life.
A Call for National Collaboration
Dr. Azouji concluded by underscoring that resolving pensioners’ issues requires full coordination between the government, the parliament, and the Plan and Budget Organization.
“With empathy and participation,” he affirmed, “we can strengthen this path and create a more secure future for the country’s retirees.”
The meeting in Kerman provided a platform for retiree leaders to voice their concerns in a cordial atmosphere, covering topics from healthcare access and benefit payments to welfare programs, reflecting a shared commitment to tangible improvements.