Interview with Dr. Kamran Dadkhah on the Factors Behind Iran's Economic Backwardness - 2003-02-03

The economic problems of Iran have once again caught the attention of analysts and economic experts both inside and outside the country. Dr. Kamran Dadkhah, a professor of economics at Northeastern University in Boston, identifies the intertwining of economic issues with ideological matters, lack of transparency, absence of freedom and democracy, neglect of technological advancements, and government pricing as some of the factors contributing to Iran's economic backwardness. He predicts that if the current situation continues, Iran's economy will soon face a fate similar to that of Latin American countries. In this context, Farah Jahangiri conducted an interview with Dr. Dadkhah, which includes the following questions: - Given the challenges facing Iran such as unemployment, urban issues including water scarcity, and lack of economic strength, it seems that the current government of the Islamic Republic has made oil and gas sales its only source of income, while major oil companies are increasingly diversifying their suppliers. Considering the daily realities in Iran, what is your overall assessment of the Islamic Republic's oil policy? Both in the Caspian Sea region and other oil fields. - In the past week or two, several reports have unveiled incredible financial corruption, including the purchase of an island in Dubai for several billion dollars, the purchase of shares worth over forty billion tomans by one of the institutions, which, according to the norms of the Islamic Republic, are not subject to any oversight, and the smuggling of oil. In such circumstances, it seems that the powerful figures of the Islamic Republic's interest in transferring capital to countries such as the Gulf Sheikhdoms, especially Dubai, has plunged the Iranian economy into a dangerously critical period. In your opinion, what is the way out for Iran's economy from the current brokerage system?