During a June 21 speech to judicial officials in Tehran, President Hassan Rouhani hinted at the need for a number of structural and cultural reforms required to promote private-sector activity in the Iranian economy.
Most significantly, Rouhani pointed to the fact that some regime constituents viewed private wealth and investments as a problem. Rouhani said, “Some still view an investor as a negative phenomenon and believe capital is immoral and see poverty as an honorable status. As long as such beliefs exist, we won’t reach our objectives.”