TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has come under mounting criticism over what critics call his government’s inability to improve the economy and create jobs, despite having reached the nuclear deal and gotten sanctions lifted.

As Iran was negotiating over its nuclear program, Rouhani and his administration repeatedly stated that resolving the nuclear issue would pave the way for foreign investment, which in turn could play a crucial role in boosting the economy.

However, over a year after the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and more than six months after its formal implementation, the president and his economic team are under mounting pressure from opponents and the public alike, who feel that little has changed.

In an interview with Al-Monitor, former senior Iranian diplomat Mohsen Shaterzadeh stressed that despite the high number of foreign delegations that have visited Iran, no significant foreign investment has been realized. Shaterzadeh further told Al-Monitor that he believes potential foreign investment will be lost given the lengthy processes involved in realizing it. Offering a gloomy outlook, he added, “The stated Foreign Direct Investment [FDI] targets set by the government and parliament seem unachievable.”