Conflict Between Economy Ministers of Raisi and Pezeshkian Governments Over 'Largest Asset Monetization'

Simultaneously with the announcement of a 35 trillion tomans asset monetization of state properties in Isfahan by the Economy Minister of Pezeshkian's government, Ehsan Khandozi, the former Economy Minister, stated that this project was approved during the presidency of Ebrahim Raisi. Asset monetization refers to the sale of state properties and assets. Abdolnaser Hemmati, the Economy Minister of Iran, on Sunday, January 1, announced via a message on X (formerly Twitter): 'In the process of asset monetization, with the intensive actions of the Ministry of Economy and the Isfahan Governorate, the largest asset monetization case was realized with an amount exceeding 35 trillion tomans. We will witness the results of this process in Isfahan's construction projects.' On the same day, Ehsan Khandozi also wrote on X: 'In recent days, 35 trillion tomans were prepared for the water supply project in Isfahan province, through the monetization of several hectares of warehouses that had been abandoned for years.' He added that this case was the last resolution of the asset monetization board of Ebrahim Raisi's government. The Pezeshkian government promised to complete 'incomplete projects' by selling state properties. The conflict between Hemmati and Khandozi over this issue comes as a report from the Research Center of the Parliament indicates that in the first half of this year, only 7% of the government's plan for selling assets and properties (monetization) has been realized. The government has allocated 62 trillion tomans in the current year's budget from the sale of state properties and assets, but the report from the Research Center shows that in the first half of this year, only 2.2 trillion tomans of this amount, equivalent to 7% of the six-month budget, has been realized. Little monetization has also been observed in previous years' budgets, as governments, aware of the continued decline in the value of the rial, are reluctant to convert their properties and assets into rials and spend them on government expenses. The Pezeshkian government has included only 25 trillion tomans in the budget bill for the next year from monetization, which is 60% less than the current year's budget law. Nevertheless, Mohammad Jafar Qaim Panah, the Executive Deputy of the President, stated earlier in December that the government's priority in spending the resources obtained from 'monetization' is incomplete projects.