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What’s on Rouhani’s second-term economic agenda?

While President Hassan Rouhani’s economic agenda features strong commitment to the building blocks of sustainable development, there are significant challenges ahead.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani gestures during a news conference in Tehran, Iran, May 22, 2017. TIMA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RTX371WO

Hassan Rouhani’s re-election on May 19 is welcome wind in the sail of the moderate political forces in Iran. The sharp rise in the index of the Tehran Stock Exchange can also be seen as an indication that economic players view the election results as a positive development.

During the election campaign, the Rouhani camp produced a comprehensive set of policies for the next four years. In this article, we will take a closer look at the policies titled “developmental economic policies,” as these plans will have a major impact on the country’s economic development beyond Rouhani’s second term. The main challenge to the Iranian government in the next decade will be unemployment, and plans and policies should thus be assessed through the prism of their impact on job growth.

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