Reports

Abstract The bill for accession to the agreement on the adoption of harmonized technical United Nations regulations for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these United Nations regulations, subject to compliance with the considerations and amendments to resolve ambiguities in the single article as mentioned, is approved. Additionally, if the mentioned conditions are met, to enhance effectiveness, the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade must adopt complementary policies to align the country's automotive and parts manufacturing industries with these regulations and increase their export capabilities. Overall, although as noted in the report, some considerations reduce the full impact of this convention on vehicle quality and exports in Iran, joining this convention, while paying attention to complementary policies by relevant institutions, remains beneficial and can reduce technical barriers to trade (vehicle exports and imports). It should be noted that joining such international agreements inherently serves as a platform for facilitating trade, and it is the active policies of the member country that can truly realize this. This report highlights the need for complementary policies by the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade and the National Standards Organization.

Abstract Continuous monitoring of key indicators in various industries, particularly strategic ones like the automotive industry that play a pivotal role in the economy and society, is essential for enhancing transparency, improving efficiency, and refining policymaking. Preparing periodic reports not only serves as a tool for understanding existing realities but also provides a foundation for identifying opportunities, managing challenges, and effectively directing development programs. This necessity becomes more pronounced when the industry faces structural problems, persistent losses, stagnation, and direct impacts from sanctions and currency fluctuations. The logic behind selecting the indicators examined in this report is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses to provide a comprehensive picture of the industry's status from 2016 to 2024. First, the production volume indicator, disaggregated by vehicle type (passenger, commercial freight and passenger) and the share of public and private sectors, illustrates overall annual supply changes. Second, the market and price dispersion indicator, focusing on market composition and consumers' purchasing power, analyzes price changes and their impact on demand. Third, the monopoly indicator, using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, explains competition levels and the impact of the import ban on market concentration. Fourth, the profit and loss indicator evaluates the two major automakers and factors contributing to their losses. Additionally, the corporate governance and ownership status indicator clarifies decision-making composition and the shares of government and private sectors in managerial structures. The automotive industry ShAMAKh index depicts dynamics and growth trends from purchasing managers' perspectives. Indicators related to permits, employment, and investment highlight the utilization of new capacities. Furthermore, indicators for fuel consumption, road accidents, and scrappage of old vehicles reveal the industry's role in environmental and transportation safety. Finally, import and export indicators, domestic production depth, and foreign currency expenditure explain the industry's dependence on foreign resources and domestic parts production capacity. The set of mentioned indicators provides a foundation for deeper analysis of the current status and determining corrective directions for the future.

Abstract Work-integrated education for training human resources with a realistic understanding of production environments has long been a focus of the education system. One model addressing this need is the establishment of industry-adjacent technical schools. An adjacent technical school is an educational unit established under an agreement between the Ministry of Education and a production or service entity, where students acquire skills in connection with the realities of that entity. The production unit provides educational space, equipment, administrative staff, and specialized instructors, while the Ministry of Education supplies the curriculum, principal, and general and basic course teachers, ultimately enabling the entity to recruit its workforce from graduates. Achieving the goals of industry-adjacent technical schools faces obstacles such as students' lack of retention in factories after graduation (due to issues like military service), lack of motivation among industry owners due to high training costs, absence of industry partnership in management and curriculum planning, inadequacy of laws governing students (including insurance and wages) and unclear employment status, legal ambiguities in establishing and operating technical schools by factories and industries (public and private), and mismatch between academic disciplines' curricula and industry needs, sometimes due to lengthy study periods. Based on the reviews, solutions such as amending certain articles of the Labor Law, Public Services Management Law, Social Security Law, and the regulation on assigning conscripts to non-military executive agencies, as well as revising academic disciplines' curricula, are proposed.

Abstract In recent years, the tourism industry, particularly in accommodation and hospitality, has undergone fundamental transformations driven by commercial reasons and the cultural and economic importance of hotel industry internationally, as hotels provide the first impression of the host country to tourists. Consequently, innovation in hotel industry, especially in services and experience creation, has grown significantly. In 2024, approximately 91% of international tourism companies increased investments in new technologies, a trend more pronounced post-COVID. Although this trend has not been prominent in Iran, upstream documents like the Comprehensive Tourism Document and the Seventh Development Program emphasize the use of technology. Ultimately, neglecting innovation in accommodation could significantly negatively impact tourist attraction in Iran. This study aims to examine global experiences to offer lessons for cultural and tourism policymaking. Experiences from various countries were selected due to their practical implementation of innovative methods, self-assessment, and challenge reviews. In summary, experiences from China, the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Tanzania provided lessons on applying artificial intelligence and virtual reality in accommodations, locally based and personalized eco-lodges, and using gamification and the Internet of Things in accommodation processes. This was expressed in four layers: physical environment, service delivery processes, delivery processes, and marketing activities. Their application, evaluation, and prioritization in Iran were conducted using a multi-criteria scoring method for combined accommodation innovations. Based on expert views and registered data, indicators of institutional capacity, technological infrastructure, implementation costs, cultural acceptance, and alignment with upstream documents showed that eco-based, green, self-sufficient, and experience-oriented accommodations rank first, while artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, virtual reality, and gamification rank lower for innovative approaches in Iran's accommodation and hospitality sector. Finally, it was determined that advancing innovation in accommodation and hospitality requires synergistic collaboration among relevant organizations, such as municipalities, the Vice Presidency for Tourism of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, the Iran Chamber of Commerce, the Soft Technologies and Identity-Building Development Headquarters of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, the Iran Hoteliers Association, and the Hotels Union. It was also proposed that executive mechanisms include drafting a national guideline for standardizing smart and technology-based hotels, a national tourism innovation document, incentive packages for developing eco-based and green accommodations, establishing a tourism innovation center focused on new accommodation technologies, and defining a national “Innovative Hotel” certificate for ranking accommodations based on innovation criteria.

Abstract The 1404 budget bill was submitted by the government to the Islamic Consultative Assembly, differing from previous years in that figures related to targeted subsidies resources-expenditures and some other important chapters, previously reflected in budget provisions, were transferred to macro tables. The total public resources-expenditures figure was set at 5988 trillion tomans, of which approximately 1530 trillion tomans related to targeted subsidies resources-expenditures, special projects oil, and Armed Forces oil, transferred to macro tables. Ultimately, in the Assembly’s approval, the mentioned items were excluded from the public resources ceiling, and the public resources figure was approved at 4956 trillion tomans. In fact, after excluding targeted subsidies, special projects oil, and Armed Forces oil (totaling approximately 1530 trillion tomans), the budget ceiling increased by about 498 trillion tomans, reaching 4956 trillion tomans. In budget provision changes, the government was mandated to eliminate cash subsidies for the eighth, ninth, and tenth deciles and prepare support packages from these resources to aid at least 400,000 severely impoverished households. The government was also tasked with recording revenues from preferential currency rate adjustments in a separate line and allocating them proportionally to currency adjustments to compensate purchasing power for middle- and low-income deciles.

Abstract In recent years, the dominance of an assembly-oriented approach in the automotive industry and the form of interaction with foreign companies has become a major obstacle to forming effective and sustainable international partnerships. Under this model, a significant portion of the country's foreign currency resources has been spent on importing disassembled parts and supplying assembly companies' needs, without leading to technology transfer, production infrastructure development, design and engineering capability enhancement, or domestic value creation. The assembly policy could initially serve as a temporary tool for increasing volume and localization, but the lack of developmental mechanisms has turned it into continued dependence and non-productive manufacturing. In 2023 alone, the automotive industry's total foreign currency expenditure reached approximately 8 billion and 88 million dollars, with over 3.5 billion dollars spent on importing parts for all assembled products. This allocation of foreign currency resources has occurred without corresponding technological, productive, or export returns, and its continuation will institutionalize structural dependence on imports and foreign currency in one of the country's most important industrial sectors. In practice, the automotive industry's foreign relations have largely been limited to part imports, neglecting technical knowledge development and supply chain growth. Therefore, reforming the international interaction model requires a serious review of policies and the governing structure over the past few years.

Abstract The 1404 national budget law, with public resources of 4956 trillion tomans, shows a 93% growth compared to 2023. Growth in public resources by components is: revenues (49% growth), capital asset transfers (44% growth), and financial asset transfers (395% growth). Taxes account for 42% of total public resources; however, 23% dependence on oil and gas (including borrowing from the National Development Fund) highlights the budget's vulnerability to oil shocks. Oil revenue forecasts are based on exporting 1.3 million barrels of crude oil and gas condensates at $63 per barrel, which in pessimistic scenarios could decrease to a realized price of $53 and exports of one million barrels. Islamic financial securities issuance, with 170% growth to 700 trillion tomans, carries realization risks due to the limited debt market capacity; however, if prerequisites are met, full realization can be expected. The projected figure for state-owned company transfers (215 trillion tomans) is unrealistic given past poor performance. Estimates indicate a potential unfunded deficit of 555 trillion tomans, mainly from unrealized oil, customs, and company transfer revenues. These challenges cast doubt on full budget execution, necessitating actions like increased tax efforts and attention to government asset monetization.

Abstract The budget of executive agencies in the country is typically presented in Table 7 of annual budgets. In past years, this budget constituted about three-quarters of the total budget. However, due to significant growth in other budget tables (miscellaneous lines and financial capital assets), its share in 2025 has decreased to 58%. The executive agencies' budget has grown by nearly 41% compared to the 2023 budget law, reaching 3144 trillion tomans. Regarding the growth rate of executive agencies' credits, attention must be paid to prioritization and credit growth based on the country's important programs. For example, among over 750 lines, the public credits of 212 lines have grown by more than 45%. This indicates that a considerable number of agencies have experienced significant growth beyond unavoidable items like salaries and wages. In fact, credits have been allocated that, unlike unavoidable expenditures, are subject to decision-making and planning. In such conditions where considerable avoidable expenditures are allocated to some agencies, the importance of program-centric approaches and the rationale for uneven budget distribution among agencies becomes even greater.

Abstract Generating benefits from endowments and blessed shrines primarily depends on the health and survival of their principal properties. Therefore, preserving and maintaining them takes precedence over revenue generation and fulfilling intentions. The Endowment and Charitable Affairs Organization has dual roles in supervising and administering endowments, bearing responsibilities for preserving endowment properties and blessed shrines and maintaining them. This report, in light of Clause J of Article 75 of the Seventh Development Program Law emphasizing the revival and activation of these sites, seeks to analyze the organization's challenges in fulfilling its duties in this area. In 2023 and 2024, over one trillion tomans was spent in total on preserving and maintaining managed endowments, yet significant challenges remain, primarily: 1) insufficient endowment income for maintaining properties; 2) inadequate attention to preservation and maintenance in the organization's vision documents; 3) less successful cooperation with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts in preserving endowed heritage. Proposals include: 1) preparing economic identification records for endowments and recording their development and prosperity needs; 2) granting local loans from high-income endowments and religious sites to low-income ones; 3) amending regulations for appointing trustees for endowed cultural heritage; 4) enhancing mechanisms for identifying and monitoring the preservation and maintenance of endowments and blessed shrines; 5) overseeing the implementation of supportive policies for shrine servants; 6) setting quantitative indicators for expenditures from administration fees, supervision fees, and independent donations; 7) reforming the organization's statistical and planning system regarding endowment and religious site preservation and maintenance.

Abstract Continuous monitoring and analysis of tourism statistical data enable trend analysis, demand forecasting, and alignment of tourism development policies with social and economic changes. This report aims to provide a picture based on data published by the National Statistics Center in 1403. Findings show that after a sharp decline in travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, household travel accessibility in 1403 recovered to 83.7% of 1397 levels (the peak of domestic tourism). Over the past fourteen years, six provinces—Khorasan Razavi, Tehran, Mazandaran, Gilan, Isfahan, and Fars—accounted for 46% of total travel volume. Personal vehicle use increased to 70.3%, while public transportation shares declined, with intercity road transport dropping from 9.2% in 1393 to 3.99%. Despite a slight decrease, staying with relatives remains the dominant accommodation pattern for spring travels. In contrast, rented villas' share increased, while public accommodations like hotels decreased. Despite a sharp decline in numbers, visiting friends and relatives, and recreation ranked highest for overnight and day trips, respectively, with medical travel shares rising. The inclusion of provinces far from the center, such as Fars, Kermanshah, East Azerbaijan, and Khuzestan, among the top ten indicates a growing trend toward cultural-historical tourism as a future direction.

Abstract In 2024, the Ministry of Sports and Youth's share of the total public budget expenditures was 0.55%, nearly double that of 2023. The ministry's total credits (operational, capital asset acquisition, and credits for the Sports Facilities Development and Maintenance Company) amounted to 15,553 billion tomans, a 151.9% increase from 2023. Credit analysis shows significant growth in approved budgets for operational credits (104.6% growth), capital asset acquisition credits (243.1% growth), and the development company credits (167.9% growth) compared to 2023. Budget allocation rates were 71% for operational, 67% for capital asset acquisition, and 87% for the development and maintenance company. Given that national capital asset acquisition credits achieved 108% realization in 2024, the ministry's 67% realization indicates low priority for sports infrastructure projects. Additionally, a significant reduction in notified budgets compared to approved budgets for the development and maintenance company (19.24% decrease) and low realization of specific lines related to public sports (health-oriented) and infrastructure projects (below 50%) are among the challenges in the ministry's 2024 budget performance. Examination of the 2024 budget law's notes also shows that value-added tax credits achieved a relatively satisfactory 77% realization, but Clause B of Note 13 achieved only 20%.

Abstract Addiction, as a social issue, has always been a concern for authorities in the country. Achieving this goal requires balanced strategies to combat supply and reduce demand, as focusing on one without the other can lead to unintended consequences with potentially worse outcomes. A fundamental strategy for reducing demand is prevention; however, defining what addiction prevention entails, which policies and interventions it includes, and how it should be addressed in policy documents is a topic worthy of examination. This report seeks to identify, review, and evaluate laws and regulations in the field of addiction prevention. Findings show that upstream documents, laws, and executive regulations address social harm prevention in general and addiction prevention in particular. However, policymakers, by introducing various strategies and multiple agencies in different policies, have caused confusion and lack of coherence in policymaking and consequently in policy implementation. Despite proposing numerous interventions, it is unclear for which age, environment, or risk level many of them can lead to addiction prevention. Therefore, making policies and interventions effective requires reviewing them in line with principles such as addressing different substance types, life stages, individuals' risk levels, and environments like family, education, workplace, and communities, with an emphasis on an integrated prevention system.

Abstract Ambiguities and risks in the country's economic and financial system have significant negative implications for company and project investment and financing. Companies and economic actors, to conduct and sustain their activities, constantly seek financing from financial markets such as capital markets, banking networks, and other formal and informal markets. Part of their motivation and goal in financing is to hedge against fluctuations, risks, and uncertainties associated with purchasing raw materials. This action reduces liquidity and working capital, increasing financing needs and incurring costs like storage and insurance. On the other hand, products and goods produced by companies and economic actors are not offered to the market due to hedging against fluctuations, risks, and uncertainties, resulting in unrecognized revenues from operations and activities, leading to liquidity shortages and driving them to financial markets for financing, again incurring costs like storage and insurance. The reason is that companies and economic actors use physical goods like raw materials or their produced products as hedging tools, which is a highly costly method at both macro (national financial and economic system) and micro (companies and economic actors) levels. Companies and economic actors can hedge risks at much lower costs using financial and commodity derivatives.

Abstract Environmental funds, as vital financial mechanisms for environmental protection, have gained global attention in recent decades. In Iran, the National Environment Fund was established in 2014 to collect and allocate resources for environmental preservation. This report examines the fund's financial performance, challenges, and proposes solutions for improvement. Analysis shows that in recent years, the fund's revenues have primarily come from government credits, especially the budget law. Foreign contributions have been negligible, and domestic contributions have fluctuated significantly. From 2017 to the end of the first nine months of 2024, the fund's total resources amounted to 17,079 billion rials, of which only 27.1% was allocated for investment facilities. Currently, the fund faces challenges including ambiguity in its legal nature, heavy dependence on unstable government credits, weakness in attracting non-governmental and international contributions, and legal conflicts regarding extended producer responsibility. At the end of this report, proposals for reforming and improving the National Environment Fund's performance include clarifying its legal nature, strengthening the fund's role in addressing pollution from polluting units with a focus on establishing pollution remediation clinics, diversifying financial resources through enhanced international cooperation with aligned countries, improving transparency in financial resource expenditure, and resolving legal conflicts regarding extended producer responsibility.

Abstract One of the most important sections of the Islamic Penal Code, following criminal jurisprudence texts, is determining diya (blood money) for predetermined and non-predetermined amounts in crimes against physical integrity. Accordingly, in the Book of Diyat of the Islamic Penal Code, rules and provisions related to this topic are detailed and precisely addressed for diya of life, limbs, and benefits. One such case is determining diya for wounds and injuries inflicted on any body part. To this end, Articles 709 to 715 of the 2013 Islamic Penal Code, while defining each injury to the head, face, or other body parts, specify its diya amount. In this regard, Article 713 of the mentioned law, in defining “penetrating injury” and determining its diya, states: “A penetrating injury is one caused by the penetration of an instrument like a spear or bullet into the hand or foot. Its diya for a man is one-tenth of full diya, and for a woman, arsh (compensation) is fixed.” Given some jurisprudential differences on this issue and the disproportionate increase in diya for some types of penetrating injuries under the current definition, the bill to amend this legal article was submitted to the Islamic Consultative Assembly on March 5, 2025. Therefore, this report examines the legal articles and jurisprudential views on this topic and reviews the amending bill.

Abstract Border crossing can be committed for various purposes, often categorized under smuggling. Alongside this, titles such as unauthorized crossing or residence and behaviors like accommodation, transportation, or employment that facilitate this process are related crimes requiring relevant laws and regulations. Iran's laws and regulations in this area suffer from three main problems: legal gaps, outdatedness, and scattered regulations. The “Bill on Combating Human Trafficking, Migrants, and Body Organs and Punishing Unauthorized Border Crossing” (Registration No. 56), which is highly similar to the government's bill with the same title (Registration No. 127), aims to address the mentioned deficiencies and gaps. Updating penalties and newly criminalizing some actions related to organ trafficking or those facilitating the presence of unauthorized foreigners are among the bill's innovations and strengths. Adjusting and proportioning penalties and resolving some legislative ambiguities in this bill are also among the necessary amendments that, if addressed, can enhance and strengthen the bill, making it more effective.

Abstract The Law on Implementing the General Policies of Article 44 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran has defined the fundamental legal framework of the economic system on three pillars: public, cooperative, and private sectors. The General Policies of Article 44 were promulgated in 2005 to update and detail this article, and the law implementing these policies was approved by the Parliament in 2007. Given the importance of this law in the country's economic system, its legal analysis is necessary. The mentioned law consists of 10 chapters and 92 articles. The title of the first chapter is “Definitions.” Any law introducing new subjects and rules inevitably requires defining those new subjects to protect people's rights from infringement. The research issue here is what legal rules govern legal definitions and whether these rules are observed in Article 1 of the implementation law. This report analyzes Clauses 1 to 10 of Article 1 of the implementation law, while subsequent clauses, mainly related to competition rights, will be analyzed in the next report. To answer the research question, by examining legal doctrine and analyzing the Constitution and upstream documents, the components and legal rules governing the definition of legal terms are inferred, and Clauses 1 to 10 of Article 1 of the implementation law are evaluated based on these rules.

Abstract Exploiting coal mines in Iran is highly significant from two perspectives: mine safety and diversifying the country's energy basket. On one hand, the safety status of Iran's coal mines, compared to global trends and other mining activities in the country, is concerning. Therefore, special and unique rulemaking for these mines' safety is necessary. On the other hand, coal is strategically important for the country in steel production and electricity generation (due to energy imbalances). Iran's coal chain, considering reserve forms, economic conditions, safety issues, and specific exploitation methods, is distinctly different from other mining chains like copper, iron, gold, and zinc. Therefore, policymaking in the coal sector should be distinct and tailored to its characteristics. Following the reading of the Mineju incident report in the Islamic Consultative Assembly in 2024 and the opportunity created for legislation in the important coal sector per Note 1 of Article 45 of the Assembly's Internal Regulations, preparing legal proposals in the form of the “Law on Developing Exploitation and Enhancing Safety of Coal Mines” was placed on the Assembly's agenda. The “Bill on Developing Exploitation and Enhancing Safety of Coal Mines” has notable strengths in addressing vulnerabilities in coal mine safety and developing and facilitating exploitation from these mines. Therefore, it is recommended to agree with the bill's general principles and strengthen some articles by resolving objections and making necessary amendments.

Abstract The “Bill to Intensify Penalties for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile Countries” aims to strengthen the country's legal and judicial system against anti-security actions like espionage and enemy collaboration in wartime conditions. This bill has undergone two stages of review and amendment to address the Guardian Council's objections, with most considerations and objections resolved. However, in the third stage, the Guardian Council raised one ambiguity and one remark regarding the Assembly's approval, which have been addressed in the relevant committee's approval and presented for floor approval. It appears that the committee's amendments resolve the Guardian Council's considerations.

Abstract The “Bill to Regulate Remotely Piloted Aircraft (Civilian Drones)” [1] aims to organize activities related to the use of remotely piloted aircraft and ensure air safety while maintaining public security. After approval by the Islamic Consultative Assembly, it was sent to the Guardian Council for confirmation. This approval has undergone two stages of amendment to address the Guardian Council's objections. In this stage, ambiguities were raised by the Guardian Council regarding the note to Article 13 and Article 17 of the approval. To address the Guardian Council's opinions, the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee has made amendments to the two mentioned provisions, which appear to resolve the ambiguities.

Abstract Having a timely and reliable picture of GDP trends can significantly enhance policymaking and macroeconomic monitoring. Given delays in statistical authorities’ data and repeated requests from Assembly representatives for more current economic growth data, the Research Center has developed a computational infrastructure to estimate and report Iran’s economic growth monthly and promptly. According to the Central Bank’s latest 2024 data, GDP grew by 3.1% with oil and 3% without oil compared to the previous year. The Center’s estimates show a 2.3% GDP growth and 2.6% non-oil GDP growth in August 2025 compared to August 2024. The agriculture sector recorded a -7.3% growth, crude oil and natural gas -1.8%, industries and mining 1.5%, and services 7%.

Abstract In spring 2025, the industrial inventory index was 154.1, a 2% increase from the previous year’s corresponding season, with an inventory-to-sales ratio of 0.42. The mining inventory index was 107.8, down 24.5%, with an inventory-to-sales ratio of 0.59. Among industries, the base metals industry inventory index decreased by 1%, coke and refining by 8%, chemicals (excluding pharmaceuticals) increased by 3.7%, and automotive and parts remained unchanged compared to the previous year’s corresponding season.

Abstract

Abstract Parliamentary committees, given the number of representatives in each country and the multitude of issues requiring parliamentary intervention, play a significant role in task division, specialization, enhancing law quality, and more precise oversight of various national issues. Therefore, the number, duties, division model (permanent, temporary, etc.), and the number and method of selecting committee members are highly important. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, considering new challenges, issues, and topics, achieving an optimal model for reforming the current parliamentary committee structure through review and a series of reports seems necessary and essential. This report, using a descriptive-analytical method, conducts a comparative study of parliamentary committee titles and duties in selected countries' legislatures. This study, in line with the usual objectives of comparative studies, can lead to a more accurate description of the status of parliaments in various countries that, on one hand, have historical experience and, on the other, share more similarities with Iran's legal and legislative system, ultimately contributing to extracting a localized model suited to the political and legal structure of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Accordingly, several countries have been studied to provide an appropriate description of the status of other legislatures in the selected countries, leading to the formation of a suitable model for reforming the Assembly's committees. The studied countries in this report are: France, Turkey, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Malaysia, China, Canada, and Iraq.

Abstract With the development of various crypto asset markets and the growing use in economic sectors, transparency in these transactions has become a key challenge in policymaking due to their decentralized and semi-anonymous nature. In Iran, this could serve as a platform for expanding the underground economy, tax evasion, and money laundering. In response, the “Speculation and Hoarding Tax Law,” aimed at increasing economic transaction transparency, was approved by the Islamic Consultative Assembly in 2025. Under this law, capital gains from transferring various crypto assets, including cryptocurrencies and cryptocoins, are subject to tax. The main implementation axis is mandating authorized entities in crypto asset trading (exchanges) to issue “electronic invoices” for transactions. These electronic invoices, as standard information packages, form the basis for tax calculation, including all details such as parties' identity information, price, and transaction time. Additionally, to prevent informal transactions, the law provides a “tax on accidental income” mechanism for transactions lacking electronic invoices. Accordingly, if an asset transfer occurs without an electronic invoice, the transferred asset's value is considered accidental income for the recipient and subject to tax. This mechanism reduces incentives for non-transparent transactions. Full implementation of this law, beyond meeting the Tax Affairs Organization's supervisory needs for tax calculation, will increase transparency, reduce tax evasion, combat money laundering, and direct capital toward productive economic sectors.

Abstract Foreign Persian-language media, as important tools in public diplomacy, primarily operate with government and transnational company support, attempting to influence Iran's political and social developments through specific narratives. The “TRT Persian” network is a recent example of regional state media enhancing Turkey's influence among Persian-speaking audiences. This network is currently active in digital spaces, attracting young and social media-active audiences via platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. TRT Persian's efforts have focused on building trust and emphasizing the potential for economic and political relations between Turkey and Iran, aligning with Turkey's narrative of offering diplomatic solutions for peace, regional stability, and tension reduction. To counter this challenge, Iran must develop comprehensive, multi-layered strategies, including collaboration with local Turkish media and aligning domestic media strategies with foreign policy. Reviewing external media performance, using dedicated satellites, launching independent international news agencies, and developing native applications are key actions. In the legal domain, diplomatic consultations with Turkey for establishing a TRT Persian representative office in Iran and activating legal oversight capacities for foreign media representatives in Iran can be effective. Additionally, reciprocal rights for legal operation of Iran's external media in Turkey should be secured.

Abstract In September 2025, wholesale sales in listed industries showed significant growth, although production index growth was negative in at least half of the industries. In this month, production and sales indices in most industries increased by 2.2% and 13.3%, respectively, compared to the previous year's corresponding month. Compared to the prior month, production and sales indices rose by 10.8% and 16.1%, respectively. In September 2025, the automotive and parts industry production and sales indices increased by 19.5% and 26.4%, respectively, compared to the previous year's corresponding month. The chemical industry (excluding pharmaceuticals) production index decreased by 0.3%, while its sales index increased by 16.6%. In September 2025, the monthly price growth rate for listed industrial companies was 2.4%, with year-on-year growth reaching 46.1%, up 2.3 percentage points from the previous month. Notably, the annual average price index for industrial activities rose by 4.8 percentage points to 36% compared to the previous month.

Abstract The Guardian Council, regarding the Assembly's approval of the “Bill on the Regulation of Recognized Organizations (RO) for Providing Legal Technical and Maritime Safety Certification Services Attached to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS),” addressed ambiguities in its first two opinions, pointed to two Sharia violations in opinions three and four, expressed one constitutional violation in opinion five, and provided three remarks. The ambiguities, as noted by the Civil Affairs Committee, are resolvable. Regarding the Sharia violation in opinion three, the committee's approval stating “In Clause 2-6, Section 2 of the agreement, compliance with trustworthiness and honesty conditions for auditors, inspectors, and employees of recognized organizations is mandatory” is unobjectionable. For the Sharia violation in opinion four, representatives have used their legal right to uphold the previous approval. The Guardian Council's fifth objection regarding the use of Persian terms instead of non-Persian ones is addressed by the committee's replacements and is resolvable.

Abstract Countries, in line with rapid AI technology development, pay special attention to adopting appropriate policies. In Iran, with the Supreme Leader's emphasis on ranking among the top 10 countries, planning for AI development, regulation, and application has accelerated. Therefore, it is essential to establish legal infrastructure to determine and coordinate governance and institutional structures, provide necessary technical and operational infrastructure quickly, and utilize the Assembly's supervisory capacities to strengthen enforcement guarantees and oversee responsible institutions' performance. In the second council of the National Artificial Intelligence Plan (Registration No. 248), fundamental challenges in AI development, including facilitating data access, supporting small businesses and specialists, and rapid financing through government and private sector collaboration, are partially addressed, with numerous articles on institutional structuring or strengthening existing structures for organizing and synergizing main responsible agencies' activities and supportive or facilitative actions. However, some articles can be improved by resolving objections and necessary amendments. Main improvement axes include leveraging and integrating the country's significant capacities and increasing enforcement guarantees through stable and sustainable AI development financing in collaboration with the government.

Abstract Population census is a way to understand countries' status for planning, monitoring, and decision-making. For centuries, traditional censuses have been conducted globally; however, today, due to technological development and administrative data collection by agencies, registry-based census has gained attention as an efficient approach. In Iran, establishing a registry-based census headquarters was assigned to the Statistical Center of Iran in a Cabinet session on May 13, 2020, obligating all executive agencies to cooperate with the Center for implementing this census in 2026. Despite this resolution and the subsequent approval of the National Data and Information Management Law to organize smart data exchange, the process of sending microdata to the Center has been disrupted and practically halted since 2022. Analysis of obstacles to realizing this census shows that the main issue in transitioning from traditional to registry-based census is the mismatch between the designed process for implementation at the Statistical Center and subsequent laws on organizing smart data exchange, such as the National Data and Information Management Law and Article 107 of the Seventh Five-Year Development Program Law. Therefore, this report examines international processes for registry-based census and aligns them with national laws to provide operational solutions for realizing this census in Iran.

Abstract One of the most important central bank reports concerns monitoring the banking system's health and stability, which Article 53 of the “Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran Law” mandates the bank to publish. To meet the Assembly's supervisory needs, this report, as the first in a series of periodic reports, examines the banking system's health and stability status based on financial statements ending March 2024. Banks' status indicates unfavorable conditions and widespread violations of supervisory and prudential ratios. Analysis of supervisory ratios and comparisons among banks shows many face various imbalances in profitability, cash flows, and asset-liability mismatches. This not only limits banks' ability to provide facilities and credits but can negatively impact financing the productive-economic sector. The Center has warned for years about the banking crisis and the need for solutions as one of the factors eroding national production capacity, increasing inequality, unemployment, runaway inflation, and economic instability. Therefore, comprehensive banking reforms are essential to improve the situation and prevent future crises. These reforms should start with severely unhealthy banks, designing supervisory rules, establishing appropriate oversight umbrellas, and strengthening public trust in the banking system. Adopting a proactive and preventive approach can prevent similar crises and pave the way for economic growth.

Abstract Since 2018, following intensified international sanctions, reduced foreign currency resources, and continued pricing policies, Iran's automotive industry has faced a deep crisis with accumulated losses exceeding 250 trillion tomans; a crisis that, while intensifying public dissatisfaction, occurred despite the nominal government share in Iran Khodro and Saipa dropping below 20%. However, due to cyclical shareholding and direct interventions by multiple institutions, board control remained with the government in most mentioned years. In this context, privatizing automakers to improve managerial decision-making quality has always been proposed as a central solution for industry reconstruction; but the question is whether privatization alone can overcome existing institutional and structural crises or is merely a superficial response to deeper challenges? This report compares governance models in companies like Toyota, Hyundai, Renault, and Volkswagen to clarify various ownership and corporate governance dimensions in the automotive industry. In East Asian models, cyclical ownership structures and government representatives on boards indicate institutional ties between government and private sector; in contrast, European models highlight governments' and labor unions' roles in strategic guidance. This comparison reveals that automotive corporate governance is directly influenced by countries' political and social contexts, with governments retaining key roles in strategic direction even with reduced ownership shares. Therefore, privatization as an effective tool will succeed only if accompanied by institutional reforms in corporate governance and redefining the government's role in governance structures.

Abstract This report analyzes space policymaking in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. By comparatively examining the European Union and United Kingdom's strategies in facing “Space 4.0,” it aims to extract key components of modern governance and propose a model for Iran's localized framework. International experiences show that strategically linking Industry 4.0 and Space 4.0, through governance restructuring, empowering intermediary institutions, and developing public-private partnerships, fosters innovation, attracts investment, and enhances geopolitical authority. In Iran, although steps toward Space 4.0 policymaking have been taken with the Seventh Development Program Law's provisions, gaps remain in realizing requirements. Issues like participatory institution-building, risk-sharing mechanisms, and digital infrastructure are challenges needing attention in future policymaking. However, gradual private sector entry into space projects and growing activities in areas like remote sensing, Internet of Things, and satellite internet indicate an emerging space-based ecosystem in the country. In policymaking for Space 4.0, emphasis is placed on updating and upgrading national space policy documents like the Comprehensive Aerospace Development Document, developing space-based service platforms, renewing insurance frameworks, and forming institutions to facilitate risk.

Abstract In a situation where mere registration-centric approaches without supportive annexes are a major flaw in cultural heritage protection, Clause 2, Paragraph P, Article 83 of the Seventh Development Program, emphasizing specialization in boundary determination rules and addressing the main challenge of boundary determination—compensating people's property rights—was approved. The above provision, by referring duties to “legal action,” creates ambiguity in its implementation. Analysis shows that the legal action mentioned in the law cannot be considered a continuation of previous executive or legal actions due to its relation to people's rights and properties, involvement of other executive agencies with duties, and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts' inability to compensate property rights alone, necessitating new action. Therefore, to implement this provision, the government must submit a bill to the Islamic Consultative Assembly to approve general boundary determination rules, limits of intervention in people's rights, and compensation methods. The main obstacle to implementing the “property rights compensation” duty is securing financial resources. In many cases, the economic value of properties within historical sites' boundaries is very high, requiring substantial budgets for compensation or equivalent land provision. On the other hand, the Ministry's budget share in the government's financial structure is negligible and cannot cover such costs alone. Thus, alongside clarifying “legal action,” combined and creative property rights compensation methods must be pursued.

Abstract Reflecting agricultural, rural, and nomadic issues in national and widespread media leads to an effective role in education, promoting new technologies, and strengthening the identity of rural and nomadic societies, serving as a key tool for increasing agricultural sector productivity and improving rural life quality. Global experiences show that factors such as local community participation in content production, program applicability aligned with needs, sensitizing society to environmental preservation, and acting as a complement to the official extension system are among the success factors for widespread and specialized agricultural and rural media. In Iran, despite legal emphases on targeted production of radio and television programs in agriculture, agricultural and rural and nomadic development and prosperity have not been addressed in a structured and coherent manner. Accordingly, this study, by examining the experiences of widespread agricultural and rural television networks in selected countries and analyzing similar media productions in Iran, using expert opinions, provides solutions to improve and target the country's television programs in agriculture, rural, and nomadic areas. The study's findings confirm that actions such as activating “Jihad” and “Agricultural Extension and Development Knowledge Promotion” media groups per relevant laws, forming a “Policy-Making and Content Determination Working Group” responsible for policymaking, planning, and overseeing content in agriculture, rural, and nomadic areas, and realizing the relevant budget line in the 2025 law can help organize and improve the effectiveness of media productions on agriculture, rural, and nomadic issues.

Abstract Iran's passive labor market policies are implemented in two forms: unemployment insurance and early retirement. Analysis shows that unemployment insurance implementation in Iran, due to a lenient approach, excessive generosity, inconsistency with active labor market policies, lack of supervisory structure, absence of a comprehensive unemployment information network, limited coverage scope, imbalance between resources and expenditures, lack of transparency in spending, unstable financial resources, legal ambiguities, and failure to forecast macroeconomic developments and labor market conditions, has had little effectiveness. Early retirement schemes, due to exacerbating economic crises and sharp wage value reduction, retirees' return to the labor market, rapid growth in pension files relative to main contributors, and declining support ratio trend, have failed to achieve their goals and created multiple challenges for the country's retirement system. Therefore, it is proposed that reforming and redesigning this structure be prioritized in the country's governance system, including creating information systems for all unemployed, establishing supervisory institutions, forecasting sustainable financial resources with simultaneous worker, government, and employer contributions, developing flexible passive policies executable in normal and crisis conditions, empowering the unemployed and combining these policies with active labor market policies, implementing diverse support programs including unemployment benefits and short-term work schemes, expanding coverage, and coordinating with other support policies.

Abstract Based on Article 45 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, rivers and water bodies are owned by the Islamic government and cannot be privately owned. Therefore, riverbeds must be determined, and ownership boundaries specified. The “current riverbed” is the area where water flows, varying at different times. Due to this variability, a boundary for the riverbed must be defined, serving as the basis for laws and regulations. This is called the “legal riverbed.” Currently, the Fair Water Distribution Law (approved in 1982) and the Regulation on Riverbeds and Riverbanks, Streams, Floodways, Natural Lakes, and Irrigation, Drainage, and Water Supply Networks (approved in 2000) are the main and current laws and regulations for determining riverbed and riverbank boundaries and similar water bodies. Analysis shows that some important technical considerations in determining riverbed and riverbank boundaries have not been addressed in existing laws and regulations. These include the variability of riverbed and riverbank boundaries over time and the need for periodic updates, as well as spatial and temporal scales governing differences in natural and human factors. The mentioned technical considerations, along with the need to specify the date for resolving ownership status, requiring natural water body functionality in all governmental and proprietary affairs, amending legal provisions to prevent interpretability and conflicts of interest, are factors that must be considered in amending the existing Fair Water Distribution Law (approved in 1982) and new annexes.

Abstract Institutional arrangements governing provinces and other political division levels determine and influence public political participation, regional development, and overall regional management efficiency. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, governors' and county administrators' duties, powers, and positions are generally organized by Supreme Administrative Council resolutions, with other matters related to structure, formation, financing, personnel, etc., for governorships, county administrations, and district administrations scattered across various laws and regulations. This report is the last in the series on Indonesia's political-administrative divisions, addressing regional governance in Indonesia. Indonesia's Law 23/2014 on Regional Government provides a detailed description of executive and legislative branches, their duties and powers, regional government structure and formation, regional finance, regional development, guidance and oversight of regions, etc. Lessons from Indonesia's experience useful for experts in the Islamic Republic of Iran include that revising the national division system with a “decentralization approach and delegating authority to local managers and strengthening governors as high government representatives” requires a comprehensive law providing a clear picture of provincial and sub-provincial administration.

Abstract The agricultural sector, to meet growing demands in food, health, and environment, requires an efficient research system capable of enhancing productivity, developing new technologies, sustaining natural resources, climate resilience, food security, and increasing competitiveness in domestic and international markets. Despite this necessity, Iran's current agricultural research structure is inadequate, facing challenges like weak integrated policymaking, heavy dependence on government resources, lack of real demand from the agricultural sector for research, and ineffective stakeholder engagement. Parallelism in agricultural research has led to resource waste and failure to achieve expected results, with experts proposing various solutions and disagreements on universities' role boundaries in agricultural research. Accordingly, this report, to identify reform areas and leverage international experiences, comparatively examines governance structures and financing models of agriculture faculties in 10 top global universities. Findings show that improving governance and financial sustainability of the agricultural research system requires actions such as designating a coordinator for overseeing actors, defining agricultural faculties' research missions aligned with regional advantages, increasing science and technology institutions' support for agricultural research at all technology levels, diversifying financial resources through private sector, charity, and international institution interactions, and revising university board compositions and functions to strengthen stakeholder participation.

Abstract The water crisis in Iran is a serious issue regarded as a super-challenge with two main aspects: one from climatic factors like reduced precipitation, consecutive droughts, and temperature changes reducing water resources; the other from human factors like improper consumption patterns, population growth, unsustainable agricultural and industrial development, and weak water resource management. Both have caused severe water resource reduction with widespread environmental, economic, social, and security consequences. To address this crisis, Chapter Eight of the Seventh Five-Year Development Program Law was formulated and approved, obligating the government to implement it. This program includes key actions in consumption pattern reform, technology enhancement, structural reform, and managerial principle improvement to solve part of the water crisis problems. Monitoring this program's implementation is particularly important, as without precise and regular follow-up, programs may not be fully or timely executed, deepening the water crisis. Continuous and efficient monitoring makes executive agencies' performance transparent, identifies problems and weaknesses early, and enables corrective actions promptly. It also ensures proper use of financial and technical resources and achievement of sustainable development goals in water resources. This report details the performance of obligated agencies in implementing provisions under Chapter 8 of the Seventh Five-Year Development Program Law, vital for achieving this section's goals.

Abstract In 1995, following the Rudbar and Manjil earthquake to organize urban construction activities, the “Building Engineering System Organization” was established under the Engineering System and Building Control Law. Starting with 15,000 engineers, this organization, after over a quarter century with approximately 500,000 members, faces serious legal and executive challenges. Increased membership, complex construction, minimal approach to building control, expanded administrative relations and public dissatisfaction, conflicts of interest, incomplete implementation of national building regulations chapters, and the existing law's inefficiency highlight the need for reform. Particularly with the 2010 promulgation of General Urban Planning Policies emphasizing “strengthening and efficiency of the engineering system,” revising this law seems mandatory. Despite reform bills in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020, due to partial views and topic complexity, they failed, but the August 2024 bill comprehensively reviews the organization's structure and building control system, aiming to provide legal grounds for enhancing engineering services. This transformation is essential to meet current and future needs of the country's engineering community.

Abstract The report on Chapter Twenty of the Seventh Development Program (higher education and research) highlights two strengths: quantitative goals and indicators during the program's implementation (2024–2028) and providing reasons for non-realization of each law provision. However, detailed examination of Chapter Twenty provisions (higher education and research section) indicates implementation of provisions in this area. Important provisions such as increasing international student intake, increasing universities' per capita research contract income, increasing demand-driven theses and dissertations share, achieving 2% R&D share of GDP, absorbing 20% industrial, applied, and technological postdocs, approving amendments to faculty promotion regulations, and drafting basic and humanities sciences development documents, paying 15% research and 5% cultural credits per law have not been implemented, and over 50% of regulations, guidelines, policy documents, and other required legal actions remain unrealized. However, important provisions like growth in national publications in international databases, increasing 40% practical and skill-based courses in curricula, and preparing and approving university credit allocation regulations based on precise indicators, student financial aid regulations for talented students, and comprehensive research grant regulations were operationalized in the program's first year. The report suggests preparing precise indicator records and extensively leveraging faculty and university researchers' capacities in preparing and approving regulations, important development documents, and other required approvals for greater success in future years, and facilitating philanthropists' and endowers' entry into higher education and research investment to partially cover required financial resources.

Abstract The knowledge-based economy, as a main pillar for transitioning to sustainable and advantage-based development, has not yet found its deserved place in Iran's national production and value-added structure. Based on existing indicators, the knowledge-based activities' share of GDP is less than 2%, government R&D intensity less than 0.5%, and Iran's global innovation ranking in the latest update is 70th among 139 countries. This status indicates that despite quantitative growth in knowledge-based companies and approval of supportive laws like the “Knowledge-Based Production Leap Law,” achieving the Seventh Development Program's macro goals in knowledge-based economy and technology commercialization remains distant. Macro performance evaluation of quantitative and mandatory provisions in Articles 93 and 99 of the Seventh Development Program Law in innovation and knowledge-based economy shows that in the program's first year, given low quantitative targets for 2024, approximately 40% of goals are fully achieved, 30% over 80%, and the rest between 40–50%. However, in subsequent years and by program end, achieving some goals seems difficult or impossible. Key mandatory provisions in knowledge-based economy development, including financing (through the Knowledge-Based Production Leap Law resources), developing priority and leading technologies, and annually localizing 10% of strategic items using knowledge-based capacities, face implementation challenges like resource realization and allocation, dependence on drafting required regulations or guidelines, and forecasting credits or mechanisms for execution.

Abstract The first chapter of the Seventh Five-Year Development Program Law, titled “Economic Growth,” as the foundation for other chapters, aims to target and organize the country's main economic path, achieving sustainable economic growth. Therefore, monitoring this chapter is essential not only for assessing quantitative and qualitative goal realization but also for evaluating the entire development program's efficiency. Accordingly, this report includes two supervisory sections: first, monitoring all provisions including goals, documents, and executive actions; second, special monitoring of main challenges aligned with this chapter's articles. Analysis of 2024 and first half of 2025 performance shows a deep gap between program goals (8% economic growth and 35% productivity share) and actual performance. Key factors include energy imbalances, sanctions, capital flight, high inflation, and mandatory pricing as major obstacles. In financial resource mobilization and 8% growth requirements, executive agencies' performance has been delayed and ambiguous in matching approved resources with real investment. In business environment, economy popularization, and employment, despite diverse provisions, executive effectiveness has been limited. Weak institutional coordination, unrealized transfers, and delays in employment financing resources indicate distance from current path and program goals. Thus, continuous and analytical monitoring of this chapter's article implementation is strategically necessary not only for correcting the economic growth path but also for the credibility of the entire national planning system.

Abstract The Seventh Development Program in banking reform pursues three goals: 1) strengthening banks' capital to reach at least 8% capital adequacy ratio and control systemic risk; 2) transparency and balance sheet cleanup through full asset disclosure in property and shareholding systems and surplus asset transfer by the “Banking Network Asset Management Company”; 3) enforcing credit and monetary discipline by prohibiting unsecured Central Bank credit and replacing government claims with tradable Islamic securities. The success prerequisite is resolving severely unhealthy banks, as their continued operation disrupts balance sheet reconstruction and monetary policy efficiency. Two key duties Article 11 assigns to the Central Bank as currency policymaker are facilitating selected exporters' currency return and stabilizing exchange rates. The dominance of exchange rate stabilization has doubled non-return rates and prevented reserve increases to minimize fluctuations. Certainly, in ongoing inflationary engine conditions (like macro imbalances), gradual exchange rate growth is far preferable to jumps. In current conditions, the main priority should shift to net currency inflow security, stability, and growth. Accordingly, minimal price and non-price obstacles to currency return should be placed, with diversity and freedom in return types prioritized.

Abstract This report includes an expert opinion on evaluating the performance of provisions in Chapter 15 of the Seventh Development Program Law on “Enhancing Public Culture and Media.” Per Note 2 of Article 118 of the Seventh Program, an annual performance report on program implementation is to be submitted to the Islamic Consultative Assembly in September each year; the relevant report was introduced in September 2025. Overall, approximately 33% of lines related to this chapter are realized, 31% partially achieved their goals, and 36% remain unrealized. Key obstacles to implementing this chapter include incomplete program establishment due to unapproved regulations and plans in the first year; lack of operational definitions for quantitative indicators by responsible agencies; insufficient commitment to implementing some program provisions by relevant agencies; and weak interaction and coherence among responsible and collaborating agencies. The submitted performance report has deficiencies, including discrepancies between the executive monitor's quantitative goals and the Seventh Development Program Law's goals. Some program articles, like the number of official Quran preservation schools and promoting thrift and avoiding extravagance culture, are overlooked in the executive monitor's report. Additionally, no integrated report on all lines' quantitative indicator performance was obtained from the responsible agency, and Note 2 of Article 118 requirements for annual performance and next year's plan were not fully complied with.

Abstract The Seventh Development Program Law was promulgated on June 24, 2024, for implementation from 2024–2028, and in October 2025, over a year after promulgation, the government published agencies' performance report on the law. Examination of the submitted performance report for Chapter 16 provisions on women, family, and population indicates non-implementation of 80% of provisions. Notably, this 80% non-realization occurs while none of this chapter's provisions are among non-executable ones announced by the government, confirming their executability. The submitted performance report is highly ambiguous and non-transparent, potentially underestimating government performance. Lack of specific operational plans for some provisions, undefined responsible agencies and executive guidelines for some operational indicators under this chapter, absence of inter-agency task division for provision realization, ambiguous and unclear quantitative goals, lack of forecasted required financial resources, and executive agencies' lack of mastery over this chapter's provision goals are weaknesses in the submitted report. However, commitment to annual reporting is a strength that can identify challenges and obstacles to realization and adopt strategic proposals to address them, aiding provision implementation in remaining program years.

Abstract The bill to amend the Law on Determining the Registration Status of Lands and Buildings Lacking Official Deeds, aimed at expanding the law's instances, was prepared by the Supreme Council of Provinces and submitted to the Islamic Consultative Assembly for approval per Article 102 of the Constitution. Under the Law on Determining the Registration Status of Lands and Buildings Lacking Official Deeds (approved in 2011), official ownership deeds are issued for two groups of unregistered immovable properties by referring to dispute resolution boards in the law: agricultural and orchard lands, as well as lands with buildings. Therefore, if a land within or outside city limits lacks agricultural or orchard nature and has no structures, issuing an official ownership deed through the determination law is impossible, depriving some lands of this law's facilities, requiring other often difficult methods for requesting ownership deeds. Thus, the honorable drafters aimed to facilitate official deed issuance for unregistered lands by amending the determination law, given the Mandatory Official Registration of Immovable Property Transactions Law and the need for official transaction registration. The general idea is reasonable and acceptable; however, some considerations must be addressed to prevent misuse.

Abstract The country's administrative system faces multiple super-challenges like insufficient productivity, structural and procedural problems and inconsistencies, and inefficiency in decision-making and execution, causing resource waste and public dissatisfaction. These issues require fundamental reforms in government structure and executive methods. Chapter Twenty-Three of the Seventh Development Program Law, aimed at administrative system reform, addresses these challenges, seeking to enhance efficiency by reducing government proprietorship and increasing productivity. This chapter includes quantitative and qualitative provisions and goals for reforms, monitored through continuous executive agency performance and improved executive processes. Analysis of executive agencies' performance shows successes in some areas but persistent challenges like resource shortages, resistance to change, and structural problems. Therefore, the Administrative and Employment Organization should focus on participatory models in administrative reforms, involving private sectors, academic and specialized institutions, and active executive agency participation in designing and implementing structural changes. This approach reduces resistance and increases administrative system flexibility and efficiency. For government digitalization, integrating information technology systems in executive agencies, especially in government services, for better decision-making and process facilitation is recommended, leading to faster service delivery, cost reduction, and increased government activity transparency. In government human capital, while refining and realizing quantitative goals, drafting a comprehensive government human resource document for the Seventh Program period is essential.

Abstract Per Note 2 of Article 118 of the Seventh Development Program Law, the Program Steering Council is required to submit the annual implementation performance report to the Islamic Consultative Assembly in September each year. The above report was introduced in September 2025, and this report is an expert opinion on the provisions of Chapter 17 on cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts. Of this chapter's quantitative goals, 44% were achieved on time, 28% are ambiguous, and 28% were not achieved on time. Of the chapter's non-quantitative provisions (related to the above ministry), 40% were achieved, 10% achieved outside the legal deadline, and 50% remain unachieved. Incomplete regulations and inability to implement dependent provisions (Clause B, Article 83) or incorrect interpretation of “legal action” (Clause 2, Paragraph B, Article 83) have significantly impacted this chapter's performance. Additionally, satisfactory achievement of cultural heritage quantitative goals and expert and acceptable drafting of tourism and handicrafts associations' regulations are notable. Regarding the government's request to remove provisions declared “non-executable” (two cases in Chapter 17), they must be submitted to the Islamic Consultative Assembly as a bill and reviewed.

Abstract One innovation in the Seventh Development Program Law compared to previous programs is establishing a mechanism for monitoring its implementation. Per Paragraph A of Article 118 of the Seventh Development Program Law, the “Supreme Program Steering Council” was formed to ensure proper execution. One of the council's main duties is appointing financial and executive monitors to main obligated agencies under the program law. Each monitor is required to submit a report on the executive agency's performance in achieving program duties to the Supreme Program Steering Council secretariat every six months. The Supreme Program Steering Council must submit the program's implementation performance report to the Assembly in September each year. The mentioned report, after introduction, is immediately referred to relevant committees and the Assembly's supervisory deputy per arrangements in Article 141 of the Assembly's Internal Regulations for review according to report chapters. Main committees must review the report upon receipt and submit their reports to the Program and Budget Committee within twenty days. Chapter Twenty-Four, titled “Judicial and Legal Transformation,” includes Articles 112 to 117. This chapter contains provisions for judicial and legal transformation, primarily the judiciary's responsibility. Review of quantitative goals in this chapter shows that administrative process complexity and length, insufficient or unforecasted credits in annual budgets, time constraints for goal achievement, lack of cooperation from relevant executive agencies, and absence of electronic service infrastructure are reasons complicating performance metric realization. Based on executive monitors' reports, 64% of this chapter's goals are fully achieved, and 14% have significant progress. This indicates actions taken by the judiciary and other responsible institutions toward judicial and legal transformation. However, fully realizing this transformation requires continued precise and responsible oversight by relevant institutions and forecasting and providing sufficient financial resources for effective implementation of this chapter's provisions and goals.

Abstract Creating added value in national macro foreign policy through comparative studies and localizing diplomatic innovations from global parliamentary research centers facilitates and accelerates achieving public diplomacy goals in the Seventh Development Program Law, opening a new arena for representatives' engagement in regional and global events. Utilizing artificial intelligence parliamentary diplomacy potential, increasing emerging technologies' share in smart parliamentary diplomacy basket, public and expert opinion polling on foreign policy approvals' impacts, using experienced international relations and parliamentary assembly legislators from previous terms in research board compositions, introducing important parliamentary diplomacy conferences to the legislature's secretary-general for representatives' participation in key scientific events, innovation in drafting diplomatic ambassadors' speech texts, maximizing artificial intelligence for evaluating rival and opposing parliaments' future policies, leveraging international-level experts in representatives' advisory teams, active participation in the Asia Parliamentary Research Centers and Libraries Consortium, preparing a smart bank of parliamentary diplomacy reports and documents, holding intensive diplomatic sciences and skills training for new representatives before parliamentary activities begin, synergizing capacities with state think tanks in federal systems and receiving international relations experts' opinions in states, equipping research centers with advanced polling devices and data sharing with neighboring parliaments' research centers are only part of Asian parliamentary research centers' initiatives for strengthening parliamentary diplomacy.

Abstract Article 74 of the “Seventh Development Program Law” mandates the government to produce “20 distinguished and valuable feature films annually”; however, ambiguity in defining “distinguished” and “valuable” poses serious challenges to optimal implementation, including subjective interpretations and resource waste. This report, noting the current screening basket's poor content status, emphasizes the need for a precise definition to achieve the legislator's strategic goals. To this end, while reviewing the position of “distinguished and valuable art” in upstream documents and the Supreme Leader's statements and examining similar concepts in global cinema, incorrect notions like equating distinguished films with high-budget or commissioned works are critiqued. The report's core is providing an operational framework for defining and identifying these works. Accordingly, a “distinguished and valuable film” is a pride-creating work possessing three fundamental components: “content richness,” “artistic excellence,” and “impact capacity.” Additionally, a two-stage (ex-ante and ex-post) evaluation process with precise and measurable criteria for identifying and supporting these works is proposed.

Abstract Chapter Three of the Seventh Development Program Law, titled “Budget Structure Reform,” addresses Iran's government financial system's chronic super-challenge: structural imbalance between resources and expenditures, heavy oil revenue dependence, financial indiscipline, and weak public investment productivity. First-year implementation analysis shows that while some actions like drafting executive regulations, program-oriented guidelines, and the new technical and executive system document have begun, main goals like eliminating non-budgetary provisions, program-oriented budgeting, and government debt control remain at regulation and draft stages. The government and state-owned companies' debt-to-GDP ratio remains high, and weak precise contingent liability estimation lacks a clear government financial picture. In investment and energy, despite legal mandates for private sector participation in oil and gas field development, tangible progress is absent. Additionally, civil project system reform and public-private partnership utilization have not reached implementation. Overall, Chapter Three implementation requires institutional determination, financial transparency, redefining the Budget and Planning Organization's role, and establishing binding mechanisms for debt control, civil project organization, and strengthening government financial discipline.

Abstract The Social Committee is one of the Assembly's specialized committees in legislation and oversight in social affairs. Its duties cover administrative-employment matters, labor and employment issues, worker affairs, social harms, social security, welfare, and some women and youth issues. Overall, three areas for experiential narrative regarding this committee are considered in this study, covering its structural, content, and procedural dimensions. In these three dimensions, based on the conceptual framework, the Social Committee's strengths and weaknesses are extracted, and proposals to address these issues are presented. To provide an experiential narrative of this institution, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 actors, experts, and stakeholders related to the committee, reaching narrative saturation. Some individuals were Social Committee members in the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth terms, and others included officials and experts from organizations related to the Social Committee. This report, citing collected narratives while providing a general picture of the Social Committee and its duties, aims to publish a pathology report in this regard.

Abstract This report aims to evaluate government performance in implementing Chapter Five of the Seventh Development Program provisions, examining the country's pension funds, a fundamental economic and social super-challenge. Currently, 17 active pension funds exist, with a significant portion, including the Civil Servants Pension Fund, Armed Forces Social Security Organization, Steel Employees Fund, and Ministry of Intelligence Fund, unable to meet obligations from internal resources and directly fed from the public budget. Main imbalance causes include unsustainable financing structures, low investment returns, accumulated government debts, unsupported supportive decisions, and weak corporate governance in their enterprises. To address fund imbalance causes, multiple reforms are designed in the Seventh Development Program framework, with evaluations showing drafting regulations and starting most reforms, but key provisions like investment rule drafting, controlling-managing share transfer, and manager qualification regulation drafting remain incomplete. Overall, gradual Seventh Development Program provision implementation can somewhat reduce crisis intensity, but sustainable pension fund challenge resolution requires deeper structural, financial, and institutional reforms.

Abstract In recent years, smartization and e-government, through various resolutions including the E-Government Development Plan (2018), Smart Government Development Plan (2021), and 2022 and 2023 budget laws and the Seventh Development Program Law, have been prioritized by the government, obligating executive agencies to implement them. Accordingly, the “National Smart Government Services Window” system was launched by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in May 2022. Based on the June 2025 evaluation, of 186 executive agencies, 149 are connected to the national window, and 2 remain unconnected. 35 agencies are exempt from connection. Additionally, 61% of connectable services are linked, with only 22% provided smartly. Meanwhile, about 24% of connected agencies still do not provide 20% of their connectable services smartly. Factors like inter-agency incoordination, financial limitations for infrastructure upgrade, and technical human resource shortages are influential in slow progress. Despite over 62 million registrations in the Assembly Research Center's polling system, reasons like system and feature unawareness have prevented many from using services. This report examines the implementation status of Clause J of Article 107 of the Seventh Development Program Law and the achievement level of the National Smart Government Services Window goals.

Abstract The “Tax System Reform” chapter in the Seventh Development Program Law focuses on analyzing two key national super-challenges: “budget deficit and government financial dependence on oil” and “conflict between insurance and tax systems.” This chapter's main goal is creating sustainable financial resources through taxation while resolving executive and legal inconsistencies between the Tax Affairs Organization and Social Security Organization. In the first part, citing the Seventh Development Program's general policies, the report emphasizes the necessity of making taxation the main current budget funding source. Key indicators include increasing the tax-to-GDP ratio to 10% and tax-to-cost credits ratio to 80% by program end. Performance review shows relatively successful tax revenue growth in the first year but a significant gap to final goals. In the second part, the report addresses structural insurance-tax conflict. Separate collection processes, conflicting data, double employer costs, and non-independent adjudication conflicts of interest cause inefficiency and distrust. In response, Articles 4 and 27 of the program mandate integrating wage tax and insurance premium collection and establishing an independent insurance and tax adjudication center. However, these provisions' implementation has been incomplete. In conclusion, the report emphasizes key actions for chapter goal achievement: fully redesigning insurance premium and tax collection regulations with an integrated and smart approach, drafting a bill to amend insurance and tax laws for an independent adjudication institution, continuous Assembly and government monitoring of provision implementation, and strengthening cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Welfare. Additionally, recommending tax system reform through total income taxation, targeted exemptions, and value-added tax rate increase while observing social justice.

Abstract Although numerous provisions with supportive and anti-poverty approaches can be observed in other Seventh Development Program Law chapters, the main poverty alleviation articles are Articles 30 and 31. Article 30 outlines Chapter Six goals, most prominently zeroing absolute poverty rate, while Article 31 provides provisions and actions to achieve these goals in the “Social Security, Supportive Policies, and Fair Income Distribution” chapter. Key provision topics include electronic vouchers, single support services window, support institutions' beneficiaries' pensions, time bank, needy empowerment, and veteran support. Responsible agencies for Article 31 are the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, Welfare Organization, Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, and Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Foundation. Analysis shows that Paragraphs A and Th of this article (related to electronic vouchers and updating support institutions' pensions, respectively) have progressed relatively satisfactorily, but Paragraph B on the single support services window, despite regulation drafting and executive preparations, has not reached full operation. Overall, responsible agencies' performance in implementing Article 31 of the Seventh Development Program Law, quantitatively, has mostly not achieved high realization, and given 2024's political and economic developments, this performance was not unexpected.

Abstract After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, tax legality was embodied in Article 51 of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Constitution. Per this article, “No tax shall be imposed except in accordance with the law. Tax exemption, forgiveness, and reduction cases shall be specified by law.” This article's requirement and Articles 94 and 96 of the Constitution place detecting Assembly approvals' (including tax laws) non-conflict with the Guardian Council. The council has raised Sharia conflict objections in reviewing Assembly tax approvals. Understanding and examining these objections significantly aids improving the tax legislation process. In fact, understanding the council's opinions on Sharia compliance provides guidelines for tax legislators. By examining the Guardian Council's recent opinions, attention to valid reasons in tax legislation, security and confidential issues, necessity basis for taxation, no taxation on endowment letter-external expenditures, justice and no taxpayer oppression, no Tax Affairs Organization priority in collection, no others' responsibility for tax payment, and no restriction on judicial recourse have been raised.

Abstract Services provided by online taxi companies are matching passengers and drivers; passenger door-to-door transportation is provided by drivers. The relevant market for online taxi companies' services is “all these companies' services in a city's geographical area.” With this definition, the market structure for online taxi services in metropolises is oligopoly, mainly due to “network externalities.” If the government or competition authority intends to directly price this market to maximize efficiency, this requires access to vast information, practically making it impossible. Additionally, given political equilibria, direct government pricing will likely suppress trip and commission prices, creating inefficiencies far exceeding those the pricing aimed to resolve. Alongside high market concentration, companies have market power over passengers due to capacity constraints (insufficient drivers per company to cover all demand at competitive prices). Despite this, no necessity exists for direct government pricing (e.g., per-kilometer tariffs), and the competition authority suffices to address potential collusion and dominant position abuse ex-post, ruling to stop such behaviors and fine offenders. Effective countering these behaviors ensures prices remain close to competitive levels.

Abstract Cooperation is one of the three economic sector pillars in the Constitution. The fourteenth government submitted a bill to amend the Cooperative Sector Economy Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran to address deficiencies in the 1991 law and organize this important economic pillar to the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Before reviewing this bill, to measure its effectiveness potential, this report pathologically reviews existing cooperative sector laws to precisely assess improving the current cooperative sector status with the new bill. Accordingly, through documentary review and content analysis of laws, using interviews with cooperative sector experts and activists, the main existing problems in cooperative sector laws are identified, including: insufficient attention to cooperative principles and ecosystem, reliance on government resources, conflating cooperative and private sectors, lack of proper codification among laws, inefficiency of credit cooperatives, and lengthy bureaucracy in cooperative registration and activity processes. Additionally, this report's findings show that the most important characteristics of a good cooperative sector law to address the above problems are: drafting missions and precise task division among government sector, cooperative chamber, unions, and cooperatives; consolidating government cooperative institutions into a public non-governmental organization; creating non-governmental resources for the cooperative sector like corporate social responsibility and public domain revenues; streamlining cooperative registration systems with specific timelines; adhering to cooperative spirit with precise criteria in cooperative formation; redesigning credit cooperatives for collecting small public resources and linking them to production cooperatives; drafting a comprehensive cooperative law from scratch, repealing previous laws.

Abstract The electronic voucher scheme, aimed at supporting low-income families and vulnerable groups, reducing social inequalities, and alleviating economic pressures from inflation, is a significant step toward social justice and improving household life quality. By facilitating access to basic goods and improving supply and distribution processes, this scheme can significantly reduce living costs and control inflation. The electronic voucher scheme, by enabling non-cash subsidy use for some basic food items, directly impacts household consumption patterns. This resource allocation method can better meet target households' basic food needs while providing a basis for more targeted government support management. Accordingly, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, within upstream documents' framework, has emphasized optimal use of the electronic voucher capacity. In Article 31 of the Seventh Development Program Law and Note 13 of the 2025 Budget Law, the government is emphasized to use this capacity for improving subsidy resource allocation efficiency and economic justice enhancement. These approvals reflect the country's legislative system's approach toward strengthening targeted supportive policies and fair resource redistribution in non-cash models. Given these legal frameworks and macro goals, evaluating this policy's real effectiveness at societal level and from recipients' perspective is essential. Therefore, this poll aims to examine eligible citizens' (seven income deciles) voucher scheme usage rate, their satisfaction with scheme implementation, and identify potential challenges and obstacles in utilization. Additionally, people's preferences regarding non-cash subsidy allocation method, eligible items type, aid receipt method (voucher or cash), and perception of justice in economic decile classification are evaluated. It is hoped that this study's findings, providing a realistic picture of citizens' experience, can aid informed decision-making at policymaking levels and enhance the electronic voucher scheme's effectiveness, efficiency, and social acceptability.

Abstract The goal of the “Bill to Amend Notes 2 and 3 of Article 17 of the Value-Added Tax Law” is preventing double taxation on economic exchanges between the mainland and free trade zones or with foreign countries. Review of the bill's provisions and text shows that the bill is appropriate in achieving its goal of eliminating double taxation. However, the bill's amendments introduce some complexity to the law, somewhat inevitable as the bill divides free zones into two categories, addressing double taxation differently for each. Overall, approving this bill is a positive action toward facilitating trade and economic activities in free trade-industrial zones.

Abstract Per Paragraph P of Article 106 of the Seventh Development Program Law, the Government Management Training Center is mandated to design the “Government Employee Training Monitoring and Evaluation System” under the Integrated Administrative System (SINA) within three months, such that monitoring and evaluation of executive agencies' training centers and held courses are based on performance registered in this system, and employee training certificates are issued through it. However, despite over a year since the Seventh Development Program Law approval, the “Government Employee Training Monitoring and Evaluation System” has not been launched. Given that this system is defined under the Integrated Administrative System (SINA), its design and establishment require cooperation and participation from the Administrative and Employment Organization, necessitating sufficient commitment from this organization to design the mentioned system. For efficient design of the “Government Employee Training Monitoring and Evaluation System,” it is essential to enable connection and integration with executive agencies' training systems and educational institutions. Additionally, this system should include key employee training information, including course delivery method (in-person classroom, workshop, online class, recorded non-in-person class, and hybrid), course evaluation method (written, oral, practical), course nature (orientation and initial service occupation training, occupational, general, and cultural, managerial), training type (mandatory, optional), and learner type (employees, professional base, middle, senior managers, and authorities).

Abstract This study examines the position of e-government and smart government from the systems perspective in the Seventh Development Program Law of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In this law, particularly Articles 104 and 107, achieving e-government is emphasized as a main development axis for enhancing efficiency, transparency, and public service access improvement. This study identifies and analyzes related systems, databases, and portals, classifying them by system, branch, legal duties, and goals, covering diverse areas from judicial, health, economic, social services to governance. Additionally, ambiguities in Paragraph T of Article 107, including definitions of national, inter-sectoral, and headquarters systems and development permit scope, are identified as fundamental challenges, with solutions like clarifying and removing ambiguities from “inter-sectoral and headquarters systems” phrases in this article, integrating supervisory mechanisms for monitoring multiple systems specified in the Seventh Development Program, and appropriately using precise terms “system, database, portal, etc.” in legal texts proposed.

Abstract With the first year of the Seventh Development Program ending, per Article 118 of this law, the Islamic Consultative Assembly reviews the first-year performance based on executive monitors' reports. Accordingly, this report evaluates Chapter 19 performance titled “Enhancing the Education System.” The executive monitor's report on this chapter has issues like statistical errors, failure to address implementation obstacles, imprecise annual goal breakdowns, and inattention to task quality. Detailed review shows that while planning has occurred for Chapter 19 provisions, various reasons including resource shortages, decision-making delays, managerial and expert capacity weaknesses, idealistic goals, and insufficient implementation time have caused most duties to remain unrealized, with realized parts mainly related to regulatory provisions or specifying rules in budget or tax areas. The main reason for many provisions' non-implementation is unapproved necessary regulations and supporting documents, meaning the program has not reached establishment after one year. Of course, some unrealized provisions still have timeframes, and their non-completion means not achieving the expected status in the first year. On the other hand, first-year goals seem coordinated with government performance to deem most duties “completed”; this may be pleasing in the first-year report but will lead to accumulated unrealized duties by program end.

Abstract In spring 2025, Iran faced one of the most severe drought periods, with reduced precipitation and an unprecedented seasonal average temperature of 23.4°C, 2.3°C above the long-term average. Temporal precipitation conformity is 56%, affecting rainfed agriculture and vegetation cover, with more uneven spatial precipitation distribution. Very severe drought has covered much of the country, with over 91% of the population living in drought-affected areas. This phenomenon's effects are uneven, requiring inter-sectoral coordination and prioritizing critical water uses. In transboundary and shared basins like Helmand and Harirud, and much of the Tigris-Euphrates basin in Iraq, severe drought prevails, while the Aras basin head in Turkey has normal to mild wet conditions. By spring 2025 end, reservoir volumes decreased by one-quarter compared to last year, reaching 25.2 billion cubic meters, reducing hydropower generation and creating stress in various water supply uses. In this season, only 2.4% of water sector credits were allocated, 22.6% less than expected. Additionally, some Seventh Development Program Law duties in water, like drafting the water diplomacy document, have satisfactory progress, but reforming Ministry of Energy subsidiaries' structure and launching the national water data reference system show no tangible progress.

Abstract E-government development, beyond changing service receipt methods, has altered service delivery channels as government-to-citizen transfer platforms. This report aims to examine and analyze these channels, providing a comprehensive current status picture. First, electronic channels are defined, then using SWOT analysis, each channel's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are identified and compared. In Iran's current status review, findings show that of 18 identified channels, 14 are active, and “video call,” “smart robots,” “kiosks,” and “touch panels” channels have not been used for government services in Iran. Results also indicate that e-service delivery channels in Iran face managerial and executive, security and legal, technical, financial, and social-cultural challenges. To address these and effectively leverage e-services opportunities, specific executive and legislative actions should be prioritized. In the executive dimension, strengthening and modernizing infrastructure, enhancing data security and privacy, continuous service updates, improving user experience and public education and culture-building, alongside channel and system integration and data governance framework design are essential. In the legislative dimension, completing and approving the personal data protection bill, drafting transparent laws for managing official and unofficial channels, legal support for electronic identity, and reforming and integrating electronic service front offices with transparent private sector participation are key actions.

Abstract Despite significant educational and research progress in the country over the past two decades, university-industry-society links remain structurally and functionally weak. Key science and technology indicators show quantitative progress in scientific publications, reaching the 17th global rank (Scopus database) in 2024. However, weaknesses in indicators like national and international patent registrations, demand-driven theses (1.5%), ranking 121 in university-industry links in 2024, and low research contract income share (about 4%) in total university budgets highlight a deep gap between academic research and industry needs. A main reason for this gap is the imbalance between science production and its application. Faculty promotion regulations overly emphasize article counts. Additionally, weak private and government R&D investment, lack of facilitative laws and incomplete existing law implementation, product rather than research process support, and fully academic university board compositions are major obstacles to strengthening these links. This study, while pathologically reviewing past experiences, offers proposals with key axes including revising faculty promotion regulations focused on problem-oriented research, granting incentive ranks to faculty for joint industry projects, stabilizing research support financial resources by strengthening the Supreme Council of Science, Research and Technology fund, ensuring proper research execution through guarantee issuance, attracting and utilizing experienced industrial and specialized experts in student education, and facilitating research contract insurance clearance processes and other matters.

Abstract Due to ambiguities in Article 24 of the Law on Formation, Duties, and Elections of Islamic Councils and Selection of Mayors and Village Heads, the “Interpretive Bill on Article 24 of the Law on Formation, Duties, and Elections of Islamic Councils and Selection of Mayors and Village Heads (with amendments and annexes up to March 9, 2025)” (Registration No. 331) was urgently introduced in the Twelfth Islamic Consultative Assembly. The Internal Affairs and Councils Committee reviewed the issue in several sessions, and this report examines the committee's approval.

Abstract A weakness in the country's planning system across six post-revolution development programs has been lower-than-expected goal realization. Accordingly, the Islamic Consultative Assembly seeks to enhance program realization through continuous annual oversight. This report examines the legal provisions of Chapter 10 of the Seventh Development Program in industry and mining. Evaluation of industry and mining provision implementation in three categories—quantitative goals, drafted documents, and executive actions—shows that among Article 47's quantitative goals, 14% are fully achieved, 53% highly achieved, 28% lowly achieved, and 5% unachieved. Additionally, regarding drafted documents related to this chapter, 28% are fully and 43% relatively aligned with the Seventh Development Program Law and other permanent laws. First-year evaluation of this chapter's provisions and executive actions indicates 12% of related provisions fully implemented, 10% more than required, 42% partially, and 36% of executive actions generally unimplemented. The report attempts to identify priority provisions relative to industry super-challenges (lack of industrial development strategy, prioritization, targeting leading industries, and weakness in developmental organizations' mission-orientation) and mining and mineral industries super-challenges (absence of clear strategy in mining and mineral industries development and planning, and inefficient supervision process over mining activities), present government performance status and action effectiveness evaluation based on Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade reports and executive and financial monitors, and accordingly offer proposals.

Abstract The “Bill on the List of Invalid Laws and Provisions in the Veterans Domain” was approved on April 20, 2025, to codify veterans-related laws in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, faced one ambiguity from the Guardian Council, and was returned. To address the Guardian Council's ambiguity, the Assembly applied amendments on July 20, 2025, and after resubmission, the Guardian Council again deemed some provisions ambiguous. To resolve the Guardian Council's ambiguities, the approval was referred to the Social Committee. This report examines and explains the Guardian Council's ambiguities and offers proposals to address them.

Abstract Increasing productivity plays a fundamental role in agricultural product growth, especially since most agricultural productions depend on water and soil base resources, and access limitations constrain long-term production growth through higher input application. Therefore, to meet future food needs, the best production growth method is productivity enhancement. Rice is a basic agricultural product with a significant role in society's food basket, and given its water intensity and dry climate conditions in most country areas, its production growth depends on productivity enhancement. This study examines productivity improvement solutions in Iran's rice production using a system dynamics model in Vensim software. The study's scope is rice production performance nationwide from 2001–2021 and estimating various system variable trends until 2041. Results show that implementing targeted and smart policies for agricultural sector productivity improvement is essential. Among various examined policies, these three were most effective on rice production productivity: 1) Farmer training for optimal input use; 2) Facilities to reduce transplanter machinery prices; 3) Subsidies for land preparation costs. The study also shows that merely implementing these policies is insufficient, and land consolidation and renovation, alternate irrigation, and improved varieties are highly important.

Abstract The relationship between Iran's Competition Council and sectoral regulators indicates task and authority conflicts, acting as an obstacle to handling anti-competition cases on one hand and technical-economic regulation of various economic sectors on the other. Review of regulatory institutions' performance in other countries shows that the sectoral-competition regulator relationship issue has been addressed as complex, with different models. This study examines experiences in the United Kingdom (granting overlapping competitive authorities to the competition institution and sectoral regulators, focusing on establishing a national competition network for managing overlaps), Germany and the United States (focusing on clear separation and boundary-setting between competition and sectoral regulation functions), and Spain (merging competition and sectoral regulation functions, establishing a national super-regulator), aiming to identify each's policy lessons. At the report's end, two policy proposals are offered to improve the Competition Council-sectoral regulators relationship in Iran: 1) Adopting a facilitative approach toward mature regulatory institutions, limiting the Competition Council's role to overseeing their performance; 2) Using the Assembly's sectoral establishment strategy in sectors with monopolistic markets lacking specific specialized institutions where the Competition Council and other market regulators like the Consumer and Producer Protection Organization and Market Regulation Headquarters have review authority.

Abstract The bill to amend the “Law Requiring Road Transport Companies and Institutions to Use Passenger Waybills and Cargo Bills” has two main goals: smart oversight of road transport and reducing diesel fuel subsidy waste, submitted to the Islamic Consultative Assembly. In this bill, transport without documents, document mismatch with all driver, route, cargo, passenger, and vehicle specifications, issuing fake documents, and operating without smart driver and vehicle cards are considered violations, with specified cash fines and professional actions. Allowing violation detection through smart road systems and data cross-referencing, and increasing violation deterrence are positive points in the government's proposed bill. The proposed bill text needs review and amendment regarding limiting the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization's professional handling authorities, creating unnecessary complexity in handling methods, fine imposition, and fine resource use. Additionally, adding an article to this law on establishing a ranking system for road transport drivers and companies based on performance and violations is proposed. To reduce empty mileage in the country's road freight fleet to 30% of total mileage (Article 56 of the Seventh Development Program Law), adding a note to Article 2 of the mandatory law is proposed, allowing road transport companies in cities with mandatory load announcement halls to allocate loads to their owned and covered fleet. Overall, the bill aids increasing violation deterrence, smart road transport oversight, and reducing fuel subsidy waste, and its approval with some amendments and annexes is recommended.

Abstract Realizing the National Information Network is the most important goal among Chapter Thirteen objectives, with many separately targeted goals actually being sub-goals. However, the National Information Network has goals not listed under these, requiring necessary focus on their implementation. Especially since remaining network parts seem much harder than completed ones, private sector cooperation and public persuasion for using network services are essential for achieving these goals. Among Chapter Thirteen's quantitative goals, 7 IT-related goals are fully achieved, 7 highly achieved, and 4 lowly achieved. Analysis shows that significant non-realization reasons are financial resource shortages, followed by expert capacity lack. In Chapter Thirteen of the Seventh Development Program Law, the government is mandated to draft 3 documents or regulations related to law implementation, with drafted documents showing 2 fully and 1 relatively aligned with the Seventh Development Program Law and other permanent laws. Drafted document actions' efficiency for goal achievement is fully effective in one case, relatively effective in one, and low effect in one.

Abstract Iran's laws, on one hand, recognize cultural heritage as belonging to the public society, supporting it for all citizens' benefit, and on the other, recognize private owners' rights. However, necessary balance between these domains has not been established, with public cultural heritage rights generally overshadowing private ownership rights. A main reason is insufficient laws, policies, and executive programs for compensatory support of private owners. The result is some private owners' dissatisfaction with registering their properties on the national heritage list. This report, while examining the necessity of supporting private cultural heritage owners and existing legal grounds, proposes necessary laws to remove restrictions from registering privately owned properties on the national heritage list. Additionally, given existing laws' silence on authorized movable cultural-historical properties (not from illegal excavations but legal methods like inheritance), inheritance rights for these properties should be recognized, with all regulations and rules on defining authorized movable cultural-historical properties, ownership verification and confirmation methods, identification record preparation, property classification, purchase and sale and transfer, maintenance method and location, transfer and export, domestic and foreign exhibition holding, and criminalizing rule violations predicted in a dedicated law.

Abstract This report focuses solely on the approval stage and the Assembly's role in civil project budgeting, comparing and examining differences between the 1404 budget bill and law in civil projects. Analysis shows that total public capital asset acquisition credits in the law remain unchanged from the bill, with changes only in details. Specifically, agencies' civil project credits increased by 7.7 trillion tomans, miscellaneous civil credits decreased by 14.5 trillion tomans, provincial civil credits increased by 6.7 trillion tomans, and nationally transferred to provinces remained unchanged. Additionally, the bill included a column titled balanced use credits with 110 trillion tomans, unchanged in the law; but three other columns titled Balance 1 with 8.7 trillion tomans credit, Balance 2 (national projects in Annex One located in provinces) with 42.8 trillion tomans, and finally energy infrastructure, solar power plants in universities, and watershed and qanat restoration projects with 36 trillion tomans were considered. Therefore, it can be claimed that changes in various civil budget sections' volumes in the Assembly were very minor and minimal, perhaps influenced by the new two-stage budget bill submission method.

Abstract Based on the 2024 budget law, total approved credits for the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts in Table 7 of this law amounted to 45,611,255 million rials (4,561 billion tomans), with 41,096,102 million rials (4,109 billion tomans) notified. Additionally, total allocated credits to the Ministry under Table 7 of the 2024 budget law amounted to 28,126,606 million rials (2,812 billion tomans). In other words, about 59.65% of this ministry's total credits under Table 7 of the 2024 budget law were allocated. Alternatively, about 43% of the Ministry's capital asset acquisition credits and 96% of operational credits under this table were allocated. Furthermore, review of the Ministry's capital asset acquisition projects under Annex One of the 2024 budget law shows total approved credits for these projects were 23,062,713 million rials (2,306 billion tomans), with 19,603,307 million rials notified. Analysis indicates only 9,527,467 million rials (952 billion tomans), or about 48% of notified credits, were allocated. This means less than half of approved credits for the Ministry's capital asset acquisition projects were allocated. Additionally, the average percentage ratio of allocated to notified credits for the mentioned table is about 62%. This capital asset acquisition credit allocation level is a warning for advancing the Ministry's programs and civil actions. Incomplete allocation of capital asset acquisition project credits can lead to project non-progress and delays in implementing the Ministry's important projects.

Abstract The Persian Gulf, as one of the world's most strategic regions, has unique tourism capacities. Abu Musa Island, with its exceptional position at the Strait of Hormuz mouth, is among these valuable assets with potential to become a natural and cultural tourism hub. This island, with features like pristine beaches, biodiversity, historical heritage, and unparalleled landscapes, can be an attractive destination for tourists with various tastes. Analysis shows Abu Musa has high capacity for developing various tourism types, including nature tourism, cultural tourism, scientific, and astronomical tourism. Additionally, local rituals, handicrafts, and local music double the island's cultural richness. However, infrastructure limitations, environmental challenges, and geopolitical issues make rapid tourism development difficult. For appropriate utilization of these capacities, tourism development in Abu Musa should be phased, planned, and based on local and national identity. In this framework, starting activities with specialized and targeted tourism (like nature tourism), alongside strengthening essential infrastructure and environmental protection, can create a reliable foundation for future tourism progress. Additionally, strengthening Abu Musa's identity brand as a symbol of resistance and Iran's history in the Persian Gulf aids attracting tourists and creating local community employment. Achieving this goal requires forming a clear and efficient destination governance system where local, national institutions, and the private sector, with specific task division and institutional synergy, guide the island's balanced tourism development path.

Abstract The concepts of society and people, considered synonymous here, have undergone many transformations, with significant theoretical conflicts in various theoretical frameworks. To avoid theoretical disputes, we started from where the meaning of “we” forms in public minds. “We-ness” only emerges in major events, and in contemporary Iran history, three major events—tobacco, constitutional, and Islamic Revolution—can be observed creating the meaning of “we, nation, people.” The most prominent emerging characteristic in these events creating individual bonds is sacrifice. The sacred is a concept Durkheim uses for history-making moments; collective sacred experience enables bonding individuals sharing a common experience, creating community or ummah. Weber's charisma concept highly overlaps with Durkheim's sacred; charisma is a value founder believers share in charisma experience, creating ummah or community. How can people created in an event persist? Collective entity persistence is possible only if the social being emerging in the event, formed based on love for others, can continue. Persistence always requires form and institution; such form and institution are traceable in early revolution popular institutions, and studying their performance and creation can provide a model for reviving political affairs and popular politics in today's Iran.

Abstract This report provides a comprehensive and multi-dimensional analysis of the cultural phenomenon of “Labubu” dolls and their widespread popularity in Iran's market. Key findings show that this phenomenon in Iran is more a secondary phenomenon based on a complex ecosystem of counterfeit goods than a direct reflection of the global collectibles market. This wave's emergence results from three main factors converging: 1) Rapid global trend penetration through social networks and fan culture in Iran; 2) Growth of global “kidult” culture where adults become main promoters and consumers of collectible toys and fidgets; 3) Deep structural gap in the domestic market for producing and offering attractive cultural products aligned with new generation tastes and identity. This report, while precisely describing Pop Mart company's artistic origin and global business model and reasons for its remarkable success in intellectual property commercialization, identifies the actual doll prevalence (about 200,000 units), non-prescriptive cultural policymaking effects, and China's soft cultural and commercial power display. Finally, a three-dimensional strategic policymaking framework is presented, including economic reforms and intellectual property law strengthening, nurturing domestic creative economy, and consumer support and market regulation. These three dimensions include more detailed proposed actions like improving intellectual property legislation, creating creative hubs, designing and implementing a national character design program, market regulation through transparent labeling, and influencer marketing oversight. These policies aim to turn challenges from this phenomenon into tangible opportunities in the country's cultural economy.