Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, October 13, 2020—The government is driving Iran’s economy into a deadlock through corrupt policies and Band-Aid approaches that are only kicking the can down the road, state-run news outlets warned on Monday. The sentiment, which was reflected across articles in several newspapers and websites, shows the abysmal conditions of the Iranian economy, which is taking its toll on the lives of the entire population, especially the impoverished segments of the Iranian society.
Painkiller management and corrupt officials
In a piece titled, “Painkiller Management,” Mardom Salari Daily critiqued the government’s halfway measure and lack of planning. “At most times, we’re not seeing farther than the tip of our feet. This means we have no medium- and long-term plans. This bad nature has even cast its shadow in important state issues. Look at the decisions made by authorities. In most cases, we’re making painkiller decisions unless proven otherwise,” Mardom Salari writes, adding that such practices plague all factions of the regime.
This includes placing bets on the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, the daily writes and adds, “And if you want to remind the China deal [as a long-term plan], the answer is that Beijing will never abandon trade with U.S., even if the relations between the two countries is in the worst conditions.
“Even if [Joe] Biden wins the elections and we manage to sign a likelihood of the nuclear deal with him, what will we do when he leaves and another [Donald] Trump comes?”
Mardom Salari stresses that in some areas, the regime’s performance is even worse than its foreign policy. “Clearly, these days, some officials are only focused on chanting slogans and making hollow interviews. Meanwhile, they are dithering and hoping for a miracle. And naturally, no miracle will come to pass because the country’s economy is in a deadlock due to corrupt managers and sanctions. Our current structure generates ‘Tabaris,” Mardom Salari warns, referring to Akbar Tabari, the Executive Deputy of former judiciary chief Sadegh Amoli Larijani, who along with other judiciary officials is currently standing trial on corruption charges.
“Wherever you look, you can clearly see a manager of official making painkiller decisions and hoping for a miracle,” Mardom Salari concludes.
The people’s lives are in chaos
Vatan-e Emrooz, another state-run daily, warned, “This year, the people are living in unprecedented and very tough conditions. The 1000-percent devaluation of the national currency in a three-year period, unbridled inflation, an unsupervised market that has become a competing ground for brokers and economic profiteers, and a government that has transitions from ‘mismanagement’ to ‘no-management’ has faced the people with a painful and unprecedented situation… The costly experience we’re going through at the moment has, on the one hand, placed the lives of the middle and lower classes in cruel chaos, and on the other hand, it has stripped away the hopes of people who sincerely took part in the elections to reform the current situation and will dissuade them from taking part in any political activities in the future.”
An unprecedented de-industrialization
Eqtesad-e Saramad, another state-run newspaper, wrote: “The past ten years have seen an unprecedented de-industrialization in Iran’s 100-year history.”
“When you see plays with words and dangerous future-sales being framed as ‘breakthroughs,’ you can see this trend happening in more diverse forms and across different sectors,” the daily added referring to the government-induced sale of stocks and bonds without any basis, which has plunged Iran’s stock market into unprecedented turbulence (while making the regime officials who are pulling the strings on the prices richer than ever).
“In a society where, according to official reports of the welfare organization and labor ministry, more than 75 percent of the population is in need of support for their survival, when you say it’s a ‘breakthrough’ for the people, you must clarify which people you’re talking about,” Eqtesad-e Saramad writes.
“Even if, based on some estimates, the price of oil rises in the next years, what can the government do when it is knee-deep in debts and, according to the Persian calendar year’s budget, relies on the sale of public assets and is using different ways to cause debts and is taking the next government hostage to its short-lived decisions?
“Will any of these actions solve the rampant unemployment problem? Will it solve inflation? Will it prevent the collapse of investments?”
