Government's Commitment to Implementing Resistance Economy

Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, head of the Management and Planning Organization and spokesperson for the Iranian government, stated on a television program on Monday night that the claim that the government does not accept the resistance economy is incorrect. These remarks were made in response to some comments from hardline conservatives who criticized Hassan Rouhani's government for not sufficiently pursuing the resistance economy envisioned by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. According to ISNA news agency, Nobakht highlighted that the policies of Hassan Rouhani's government include reducing dependence on oil, reforming the tax system, producing in accordance with standards, and promoting savings as prerequisites for achieving a resistance economy. He noted that 48 out of 240 government projects aimed at achieving a resistance economy have been defined for the current year and will be operational. These projects will be implemented in sectors such as agriculture, oil, and industry and mining. Rouhani's economic team advocates for interaction with the outside world and has concluded that after the nuclear deal (JCPOA) and the resolution of the nuclear issue and lifting of sanctions, it is now time to transform Iran's economic processes through engagement with the global economy and approaching the international economic community, particularly in areas such as privatization, improving the banking system, and enhancing economic policy-making. Fereydoun Khavand, an economics professor in Paris, also reported on the approval of the resistance economy headquarters regarding the gradual activation of semi-active or inactive production units in Iran, adding that aside from industrial parks, there are about 36,000 production units, of which 7,000 have become semi-active or inactive over the past years. Nobakht announced that in this situation, approximately 130,000 job opportunities have been lost, and the government intends to bring them back into the production cycle. According to ISNA, it is planned that with the approval of the government's economic headquarters, about 5,000 of the 7,000 inactive production units will be activated in the first half of this year through financing and providing low-interest facilities. In this context, reports indicate that Eshaq Jahangiri, the first vice president of Iran, emphasized the necessity of transferring unfinished construction projects to the private sector, managing Iran's foreign assets, transferring new technologies inside, and unifying the exchange rate this year, describing them as key components of the resistance economy. The resistance economy was named by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic about two years ago. According to Ayatollah Khamenei, the meaning of a resistance economy is an economy that is independent of foreign countries. In a speech at that time, he stated, "It is not the case that resistance economy means isolating oneself and only undertaking defensive actions. No. A resistance economy means an economy that allows a nation to grow and flourish even under pressure." The Supreme Leader also spoke about the resistance economy in his New Year message, designating the year 1395 (2016) as the year of "Resistance Economy, Action, and Work." He stated that the solution to all economic and other problems in Iran is the resistance economy. In the final days of the previous year, during a meeting with members of the Assembly of Experts, Khamenei interpreted the words of one of the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards, who stated that even if all of Iran is surrounded, this institution would not face problems in missile construction, as a sign of progress. Meanwhile, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the head of the Expediency Discernment Council, on March 13 of the previous year, without directly referring to Khamenei's remarks, stated, "Can we be happy about being isolated in the current world?" Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, also announced on April 8 that the resistance economy, according to him, with an endogenous and outward-looking approach, is a capable economy that is unaffected by external threats but benefits from investment and technology. He mentioned support for domestic production, economic growth in all sectors while maintaining a decreasing inflation trend, and constructive interaction with the world and attracting investment and new technologies to Iran as key points emphasized in the resistance economy policies. On April 3, Rouhani also identified constructive interaction with the world as an important aspect of the resistance economy. Fereydoun Khavand, an economic expert in Paris, pointed out the existence of two viewpoints in Iran regarding the resistance economy, stating that "Rouhani's economic team advocates for interaction with the outside world and has concluded that after the JCPOA regarding nuclear issues and resolving this case and lifting sanctions, it is now time to transform Iran's economic processes through engagement with the global economy and approaching the international economic community, particularly in areas such as privatization, improving the banking system, and enhancing economic policy-making." Khavand added, "This issue does not align with the Supreme Leader's views, as he believes that no significant progress has been made in lifting sanctions. Iran must maintain a resistant stance against the global economy and believes that it should preserve a somewhat exceptional and closed state of the Iranian economy." Reza Alijani, a journalist and political analyst in Paris, also believes that the confrontation between the Supreme Leader and the President of Iran represents a struggle between two major policies. He believes that "Rouhani's government wishes to continue dialogues with the West and also take collective action to build the economic path within the country, while Ayatollah Khamenei does not tolerate dialogue with the West and prefers not to pursue economic reforms because they involve some institutions under his supervision." In this context, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the head of the judiciary, on Monday called for officials to pay attention to the principles outlined by the Supreme Leader regarding the resistance economy and criticized those who, according to him, claim that there is no solution for economic progress and development other than accepting the requirements and rules of the West in all matters.