Reports

Abstract Global governance is a concept that has emerged from within all the plural and complex global and transborder institutions; the actions of these institutions have given a new form to power equations and have changed the type of Westphalian sovereignty. Examining this new form of power equations with regard to Iran, which is part of the developing blocs, is necessary for the survival and intelligent role performance of the Islamic Republic in the network of global power (under global institutional structures). Among the nonformal but highly effective and agenda-setting core institutions of the global governance structure is the World Economic Forum, whose origins and mode of operation are examined in this study. The approach of the present research is to examine the role of the World Economic Forum (Davos) in the structure of global governance and its effects on various actors, with emphasis on analytical and deductive methods. The conceptual framework of the research is based on the models of “stakeholder capitalism” and the “multi-stakeholder governance model”; a model that, by recognizing broader social and environmental interests alongside shareholder profit, seeks to provide an inclusive perspective for corporate goal-setting. The main findings show that Davos acts as an elitist non-state actor and a normative entrepreneur; in such a way that, by redefining global technical and managerial issues within operational frameworks, it strengthens its ability to influence rule-making. Davos’s multi-stakeholder model, under the dominance of global capitalism, promotes concepts such as “global competitiveness” and “corporate governance” as normative standards. This process, by consolidating the neoliberal logic, interprets the concept of the efficient state as a managerial enterprise for economic growth. In this state, Davos’s goals for preserving and increasing the power of the countries of the Global North are realized.

Abstract Non-inflationary financing of war-affected sectors is one of the requirements for financing the economy during and after war. Various financial instruments and institutions have been designed and are operational in order to accomplish this important function. The present report is the first report in a series of reports on financing war reconstruction, which specifically helps non-inflationary financing of the economy. For this purpose, this report addresses the charitable investment fund that operates in Iran’s capital market and has international experience. The existence of multiple models of this type of investment fund provides a capacity that can be used to finance companies and various sectors affected by war. In this report, in addition to introducing this financial institution and its models, and also explaining the position of charitable investment funds as a formal, transparent, and supervisable mechanism for mobilizing public and institutional resources, specific companies, businesses, fields, and sectors that have been damaged in war and can be financed by this financial institution are mentioned. The use of this financial institution, which helps non-inflationary financing of the economy during and after war, is emphasized and recommended by this report. It also appears necessary to design and use a foreign-currency charitable fund to attract financial resources from benefactors abroad.

Abstract Over the past decade, artificial intelligence has become one of the main drivers of transformation in service industries and has moved the tourism industry from traditional management patterns toward data-driven governance. This report has been prepared with the aim of analyzing the capacities, challenges, and policy requirements of applying artificial intelligence in tourism in Iran. In the first section, by reviewing technological developments, it is shown that Iranian tourism has remained stuck at the stage of transition from “digitization” to “smartness” and that the necessary infrastructure for data-based foresight-oriented decision-making has not yet been formed. The results of a systematic review of 131 scientific articles (2019–2023) also show that applications of artificial intelligence in global tourism are mainly concentrated in four areas: demand forecasting, operation optimization, tourist experience personalization, and balanced destination management. Relying on the analysis of the current situation, the most important strategic capacities of artificial intelligence in the country’s tourism sector are examined in areas such as automated services, personalization of travel experience, crowd management, data analysis, and intelligent destination marketing. In contrast, the key challenges to the development of this technology in the country include weak processing and communication infrastructure, limited access to advanced computational capacities, lack of integrated data governance, legal and ethical gaps, institutional misalignment, and also the risks arising from cultural and narrative biases in global artificial intelligence models; risks that can affect the representation of cultural heritage, the narration of history, and the image of the country’s tourist destinations. Applications of artificial intelligence in tourism include areas such as demand forecasting, intelligent destination management, improving tourist experience, optimizing firm productivity, crowd control, demand steering, and protection of heritage assets.

Abstract This report examines the theoretical foundations, structural requirements, and legislative background of adjudicating commercial disputes in Iran’s legal system and shows that the intrinsic characteristics of commercial relations require the design of a dispute-resolution mechanism different from general litigation for commercial cases. Commercial transactions, unlike ordinary legal relations, are based on speed, repetition, professionalism of the parties, acceptance of economic risk, and direct influence on macroeconomic indicators; therefore, disputes arising from these relations are not merely private disputes between individuals, but are considered an issue related to transactional order, market stability, and the efficiency of the economic system. The Commercial Code and special commercial laws also, by moving away from the logic of civil law, establish distinct rules in various areas; accordingly, disputes concerning these substantive rules also require specialized adjudication. The necessity of establishing differential adjudication and the infrastructure required to realize it makes the establishment of a special procedure in commercial disputes, without substantive amendments to the Commercial Code—especially redefining the commercial claim, revising the rules of commercial contracts, and precisely regulating the manner of handling commercial disputes—insufficient and ineffective. Therefore, establishing differential adjudication in commercial disputes must be carried out on the basis of substantive amendments to the Commercial Code, based on the bill approved in the plenary session of the Majles in 1403, so that it can simultaneously respond to economic needs and the requirements of fair adjudication.

Abstract The concept of state failure within the framework of the literature on public economics and conventional political economy refers to the state’s inability to provide optimal quantities of public goods and to implement policies effectively. It is a systematic phenomenon rooted in corruption and rent-seeking, weak state capacity, informational limitations of the state and voters, and institutional misalignment with problems, and it leads to misallocation of resources, expansion of corruption, weakening of state capacity, and a decline in economic growth and social welfare. These issues are observed with greater intensity and extent in developing countries. In accordance with this theoretical framework, policy solutions for dealing with the issue of state failure vary depending on its source and on the view of the role of the state and the historical-institutional context of each country. Thus, policy recommendations inspired by the conventional approach, relying on the limited role of the state, are generally aimed at institutional redesign in order to improve governance quality and reduce the grounds for rent-seeking and corruption, and they point to the reform of governance procedures, increased transparency, and accountability. In contrast, the developmental state approach, with emphasis on the necessity of the state’s active role in the development process, identifies the starting point in strengthening institutional-political capacity to overcome the resistance of unproductive groups and to create and guide more productive rents. In this regard, it is expected that the present study will be considered as an introduction to adopting this kind of view toward state actions, and that precision in identifying and controlling the causes of state failure during the processes of policy selection, formulation, and implementation will become a customary practice in the policymaking process.

Abstract The Social Insurance Fund for Farmers, Villagers, and Nomads, established in 2005 under the Comprehensive System Law, was created with the aim of covering groups that have limited access to formal insurance systems and are more exposed to economic and social risks. Despite nearly two decades of the Fund’s activity, fundamental challenges remain in three main areas: population coverage, benefit adequacy, and financial sustainability. In terms of coverage, the ratio of actual coverage to the target population reaches about 22 percent. In the area of adequacy, even at high contribution levels, the pension paid in the best case covers only half of rural household expenses, and this weakness has reduced the incentive of contributors to continue membership. The Fund’s sustainability is seriously threatened by a decline in the support ratio to 9.5 active contributors per pensioner (1402) and a projected fall to the critical level of 4 within the next two decades. In addition, weak information dissemination has caused a significant portion of insured persons to be unaware of the benefits and government subsidies provided for in this insurance. The accumulated debt of the government to this Fund is another challenge that may in the future confront this institution with problems such as liquidity shortages and debt settlement through the transfer of state-owned companies. To address these challenges, policy reforms including trust-building and effective information dissemination, expansion of coverage through automatic membership mechanisms, provision of short-term supplementary services, and strengthening of brokerage networks are proposed. Implementing these reforms, while increasing coverage and financial sustainability, can restore public trust in the Fund, although it requires rearranging existing government resources.

Abstract Given the end of the current vision period of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the necessity of drafting a new document, this report has been prepared with the aim of providing practical, principled, and transparent solutions for designing and drafting the future vision document. Foresight in the governance system of the Islamic Republic of Iran has mostly been carried out sporadically. The absence of specialized institutions, weakness in stakeholder participation, lack of comprehensive data, and also the absence of an effective link between policymaking and foresight are among the main challenges in this area. In such conditions, benefiting from global experiences can help in designing a native and efficient framework in Iran. The comparative study of the experiences of countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia shows that foresight requires the existence of stable institutional structures, a link between research and policymaking, cross-sector participation, and the use of hybrid foresight methods. The criterion for selecting and studying countries was their geographic location and their cultural similarities with Iran. This research is qualitative and was conducted with a comparative analysis approach, which compares and analyzes the structure, content, and processes of drafting national visions. The main objective is to identify the similarities and differences present in these visions and to extract effective patterns for future-oriented governance in Iran. The data collection method was the study and analysis of visions and related implementation reports. In this report, based on the analysis of these experiences, several key recommendations are presented, including the establishment of a national foresight institution, the drafting of multi-stage roadmaps for vision design, strengthening education and capacity-building among government managers, and institutionalizing public and expert participation in future-oriented policymaking processes.

Abstract If decision-making and legislation are carried out on the basis of trial and error and without evaluating the results of implementing decisions, failure, in addition to imposing considerable costs, will severely reduce trust and social capital. Conducting evaluation can lead to a deeper undrestanding of the probable effects of decisions. As the number of decision variables increases, especially at macro levels, the capacity of the human mind, even with consultative sessions, to analyze the relationships among variables and predict effects gradually declines, and decision-making requires the use of appropriate analytical tools. The use of simulation models in governance issues, as a novel approach in evidence-based and future-oriented policymaking, provides valuable insights to decision-makers so that they can effectively design and formulate bills, proposals, policies, or amendments to existing laws and adopt appropriate orientations regarding them. Today, testing decisions and policies with greater speed, accuracy, and ease, and also at far lower cost and time, has replaced trial-and-error approaches and prevents disorder and the waste of human and financial capital at macro levels. This report seeks, by reviewing the articles and reports carried out, to monitor legislative and governance issues for which simulation models can be applied in their evaluation. Along with monitoring such issues, the challenges of applying simulation models to these issues are extracted, and finally, solutions are presented to overcome them.

Abstract This report examines and analyzes popular gatherings in the “Ramadan War” and presents solutions for their social enhancement. Despite the strong background of popular participation in the Islamic Revolution and the Constitution (from popular committees and the Literacy Movement to the Basij and the Construction Jihad), people’s presence in this war, despite all its positive aspects, has not reached the level of “institutionality” and faces challenges along this path. This study is based on observation and examination of 40 gatherings in the three provinces of Tehran, Fars, and Qom, national surveys, and an elite panel. The aim of this study, which is exploratory in nature, is a case-based examination of gatherings for typology and for presenting solutions for social enhancement in each model. The theoretical framework of the report is based on four components: the main message of the gathering (the central signifier), the manner of public participation (at the levels of decision-shaping, supervision, claim-making, and implementation), the form and content of the gathering (based on cultural morphology), and social cohesion (including intra-group ties, inter-group ties, and social integration). In this report, five main types of gatherings have been identified: 1. official gatherings of principal squares, 2. group gatherings (centered on religious associations), 3. neighborhood-centered gatherings, 4. gatherings in squares connected to the neighborhood, and 5. a national gathering with the implicit presence of the political and religious matter. In conclusion, the neighborhood-centered pattern and squares connected to the neighborhood were evaluated as the most successful social patterns with cohesion-building ties. At the end, short-term solutions for the social enhancement of gatherings are also presented.

Abstract In the realistic scenario, the amount of electricity imbalance (capacity) at the summer peak of 2026 will be about 13.6 thousand megawatts, which is 1.1 thousand megawatts lower compared with last year. Although the effects arising from the war and damage to some power plants and energy-intensive industries have led to increased demand and reduced supply, the increase in the capacity of renewable power plants and the maximum utilization of hydroelectric power plants due to increased precipitation will together improve generation capacity at peak load by 5.5 thousand megawatts. Due to the nature of solar power plant generation, in the absence of load management, the nighttime electricity shortfall may be greater than in previous years, and it is necessary for the management of this issue to be placed on the agenda as soon as possible. Regarding energy imbalance as well, in more than 82 percent of hours the imbalance is less than 10 thousand megawatts, which shows that the actual electricity shortfall in most hours is at the level of up to 10 thousand megawatts; therefore, it must be commensurate with this. According to the calculations carried out, it can be said that the condition of the electricity industry in the current year has improved relative to last year, and if proper management is applied in this sector, the amount of power outages will decrease.

Abstract This report examines the trade and economic relations between Iran and the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, and its focus is on the free trade agreement between the two sides. The main aim of the report is described as identifying the opportunities and challenges facing the development of economic cooperation and presenting practical solutions for strengthening and deepening these relations. The Eurasian Economic Union, with its extensive natural resources, considerable consumer market, and strategic geopolitical position, is considered an important partner for Iran; however, in practice, obstacles such as differences in technical standards, the complexity of customs procedures, financial restrictions arising from sanctions, and the inefficiency of some administrative mechanisms have challenged the process of developing cooperation. Review of trade data shows that despite the relative increase in the volume of trade between Iran and the Union’s member states in recent years, Iran’s share of these countries’ total imports has remained very limited. According to official statistics, the share of the Union members’ imports from Iran fluctuated between 0.17 and 0.58 percent during the years 2014 to 2023 and reached about 0.53 percent in 2023. The structure of mutual trade shows that Iran’s exports have mainly included agricultural products, petrochemicals, and some industrial goods, while Iran’s imports have mostly consisted of grains, base metals, and machinery. The free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Union has been implemented on a trial basis since 2019 and was upgraded to a permanent agreement in 2024. This agreement was designed with the aim of reducing tariffs, facilitating customs processes, and expanding trade cooperation. For effective utilization of this capacity, full implementation of the commitments is necessary.

Abstract The military aggression of the United States of America and the Zionist regime from February 27, 2026 to April 8, 2026 against Iran caused considerable damage to part of the country’s cultural, historical, and civilizational heritage. During this period, a total of 140 historical sites in 20 provinces of the country were damaged, with the greatest losses recorded respectively in Tehran with 63 sites, Isfahan with 23 sites, and Golestan with 12 sites. Also, based on initial estimates, the damage inflicted has been identified at about 75,000 billion rials (7,500 billion tomans). The destruction of or damage to these sites occurred under circumstances in which transnational legal foundations, especially within the framework of the rules governing armed conflicts and international instruments related to the protection of cultural heritage, despite explicitly prohibiting any attack on cultural heritage and, under certain conditions, considering it a war crime, make its pursuit by Iran accompanied by glaring difficulty. Therefore, effective pursuit of these damages in the national arena requires precise documentation, the use of technical and expert evidence, and the design of appropriate legal and diplomatic strategies.

Abstract The municipality, as a non-governmental public institution in accordance with the Municipality Law enacted in 1955, in a general classification has five duties, including development duties, service duties, public duties, supervisory duties, and social welfare duties. In the aforementioned law, 53 duties had been considered for municipalities, but with the establishment of specialized institutions and ministries, now less than half of them are carried out by municipalities. The result of this was an increase in the size of government and its duties and costs, which caused the issue of transferring some governmental executive functions to municipalities to be raised for the first time in the Third Development Plan and emphasized in the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Development Plans. Also, in subparagraph “3” of paragraph “a” of Article (105) of the Seventh Progress Plan, the maximum transfer of affairs to municipalities has been envisaged, and executive agencies are obliged, in the first year of the Plan, in cooperation with the Administrative and Recruitment Affairs Organization of the country and after approval by the Supreme Administrative Council, to take action, upon the proposal of the Supreme Council of Provinces, to identify and transfer those executive functions that are legally and operationally transferable to municipalities. Therefore, an appropriate legal infrastructure exists on this issue with the aim of reducing executive activities and transferring affairs related to urban management, which, if realized, will constitute an important step toward integrated urban management. On the other hand, the experience of the two imposed twelve-day wars and the Ramadan War showed that integrated urban management can be helpful at times of disruption in vital infrastructure, urban service systems, and the decision-making system. Therefore, the aim of the report is to strive to identify activities transferable to municipalities in line with reducing the government’s executive-oriented activities.

Abstract Evaluation systems in Iran have mainly been based on quantitative surveys which, with positivist assumptions, emphasize standardized measurement and statistical generalization. Although this approach is efficient in measuring indicators, it faces limitations in representing citizens’ lived experience and the contexts of policies. Using the “Sanders model,” this report analyzes the fundamental differences between the two approaches of survey research and people-centered evaluation across six layers: philosophy, theoretical approach, strategy, methodology, time horizon, and data collection techniques. The findings show that survey research, based on positivism, regards reality as objective, follows deductive logic, has an observational strategy, relies on structured quantitative methods, has a cross-sectional horizon, and collects data through standardized instruments. In contrast, people-centered evaluation, within the framework of constructivism, sees reality as multidimensional and context-bound, uses inductive logic, has a participatory strategy, uses qualitative or mixed methods, follows a longitudinal and cyclical process, and collects data through dialogue and interaction. These differences show that the transition from survey research to people-centered evaluation is not merely a change of tools, but a transformation in the philosophy of evaluation from the “logic of control” to the “logic of learning.” The report presents suggestions such as providing a national framework for people-centered evaluation, specialized capacity-building, and publication of mixed reports for transforming the country’s evaluation system.

Abstract Addiction in Iran is one of the social harms with a long history and a relatively considerable extent. Although during past decades various policies and programs aimed at controlling and reducing this issue have been on the agenda of the governance system, statistics indicate that these efforts have not been very successful. Experts and specialists consider part of this lack of success to arise from the existing challenges in the field of addiction treatment and harm reduction; in such a context, one of the paths that can provide an initial picture of the programs and measures in this field and help improve their substantive and qualitative level is to refer to the experiences of other countries and compare them with the situation of Iranian society. On this basis, the present report reviews the experience of Portugal, China, and the United States in the field of addiction treatment and harm reduction and formulates their lessons learned for addiction governance in Iran. Examination of the status of structures in the field of addiction treatment and harm reduction in the selected countries indicates that each country has adopted approaches, policies, and programs suited to its own historical-social conditions and to the extent and type of high-risk narcotic substances. This issue depends to a considerable extent on the normative systems and fundamental values prevailing in these countries and also on the political-cultural policy orientation of governments. The findings also show that Iran has not had much deficiency in terms of the program portfolio in this field, and that the current lack of success has mainly arisen from the instability of measures and programs, implementation weaknesses, lack of oversight, and weakness in regulation and coordination.

Abstract Clause (5) of Article (976) of the Civil Code has regarded as Iranian those who are born in Iran to a father who is a foreign national and who have immediately resided in Iran for at least one more year after reaching the full age of eighteen. This procedure remained in effect until 2006; however, following the adoption of the Law Determining the Nationality of Children Born from the Marriage of Iranian Women to Foreign Men in 2006, and the existence of the 2019 Law Amending the Law Determining the Nationality of Children Born from the Marriage of Iranian Women to Foreign Men, Clause (5) of Article (976) of the Civil Code and paragraph (b) of Article (977) of this law have been repealed and must be removed.

Abstract The Champion Soldier Law was approved on March 4, 1998, with the aim of allowing members of national teams to complete their military service after undergoing military training. Subsequently, the said law was amended in two stages with the aim of facilitating the participation of national athletes in overseas competitions, as well as the exemption and employment of champions. Review of the performance of the Champion Soldier Law shows that this law has led to the removal of obstacles to the presence of conscripts in national teams, their departure from the country, their receipt of exemption cards, and their employment. However, the relevant facilities have covered only a specific group of champions, and even within this group, the employment of all athletes has not been made possible due to their not meeting employment requirements. In view of the existing limitations in supplying human resources for military service, and in order to prevent an increase in the number of exemptions (the number of exemptions granted from 2017 to 2024 is 286 persons), the proposed approach is not to expand the scope of exemptions and to make use of alternative service for the specialized and inclusive completion of military service. This approach encompasses a wide range of champions and medalists from international to national levels. In addition, emphasis is placed on empowering and developing the skills and expertise of champions so as to meet job qualification requirements, improve job productivity, and develop their entrepreneurial capacity. In line with the above, amending Notes “5” and “6” and adding one note as Note “7” to the law, as well as making amendments to the title of the law, would provide the basis for expanding the scope of the law with an approach centered on the targeted provision of military service facilities for athletes.

Abstract Organizing mechanisms for monitoring and following up the fulfillment of the promises of candidates for political posts and of political officials is among the requirements for establishing a merit-based system and strengthening the efficiency of the country’s political and administrative systems. Despite the emphasis of religious, jurisprudential, and legal foundations on the necessity of fulfilling promises, there is no systematic mechanism in Iran’s governance structure for registering, monitoring, and evaluating the promises of political officials. This report has been written with the aim of pathologically analyzing the system of promise-making and presenting a desirable policy model, drawing on comparative studies of leading countries. The findings of the research show that the process of making and fulfilling promises is confronted with four categories of deficiencies: “content-related, contextual, executive, and evaluative.” Comparative studies also confirm that successful countries separate the institution responsible for monitoring promises from the executive branch, emphasize transparency of raw data, and turn citizens into active actors of oversight. After critically revising and removing the confusion between different levels of promises (distinguishing elected political officials from appointed ones), a four-layer hybrid model is proposed for Iran: the regulatory layer (the Ministry of Interior and the Guardian Council with the function of setting the framework), the implementation layer (an independent academic-research consortium), the oversight layer (national media, think tanks, and civil institutions), and the data layer (public dissemination in accordance with the GovTrack.us standard and use of the Law on Publication and Free Access to Information). In addition, 15 policy recommendations are presented in the form of a strategic table. Establishing a national “Promise Assessment” system centered on transparency rather than state institution-building, adding an index of adherence to promises to the managers’ information bank, and moving toward cross-sectoral promises are among the most important operational solutions of this research.

Abstract Following the emergence of widespread insecurity in the West Asian region after the attack of the United States and the Zionist regime on Iran, the Persian Gulf littoral states have lost their position as safe destinations in the eyes of tourists and investors. Turkey, too, due to its neighborhood with Iran and the issuance of travel warnings by European countries, has witnessed a significant decline in foreign and Iranian tourists. According to the report of the World Travel and Tourism Council, the recent attack of the United States and the Zionist regime on Iran has caused the tourism industry of the Arab countries on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf, during the 40 days of war, to suffer losses of at least 600 million dollars per day as a result of the decline in spending by international tourists. In most cases, even destinations that were not directly exposed to danger have also faced a considerable drop in demand. On this basis, if the figure of 600 million dollars in daily losses follows a stable or increasing trend, its continuation over three months could remove between 50 and 65 billion dollars of travel-sector turnover from the economies of the said countries. These statistics and similar figures indicate an existential challenge to their macro and long-term developmental strategies in the tourism industry. Therefore, examination of the state of the region’s tourism economy shows that any tension or military conflict against Iran that weakens regional security will also affect the economic interests of the tourism industry throughout the region, especially in neighboring countries, and will cause them losses.

Abstract The continuation of wartime conditions in 2026 has confronted the holding of the national entrance examination and final examinations with serious security, executive, and educational challenges. Focusing on the three components of “security,” “educational justice,” and “feasibility,” this report examines and evaluates various scenarios for holding examinations under wartime conditions. The main idea of the report is that the policymaker should not suffice with merely one fixed date for holding the examination; rather, it is necessary to be prepared in advance for at least two likely situations facing the country: one, a short-term war (until August 6), and the other, a long-term war (with an unknown end time). In the event of a short-term war, with the normalization of conditions, the national entrance examination and final examinations should be held in a compressed manner without major changes in method and timing, while taking the necessary measures into account. With the prolongation of the war, long-term postponement of the examinations, although more desirable from the security perspective, will entail heavy consequences such as the psychological erosion of applicants, disruption in the educational calendar, increased inequality, and the accumulation of higher education applicants. Also, holding online examinations in crisis areas is not feasible due to the weakness of technical infrastructure and concerns related to fairness and assessment security. Accordingly, the present report proposes “in-person administration of the examination with special security and executive measures” as the selected scenario under prolonged wartime conditions. In this approach, measures such as reducing the density of applicants, holding a comprehensive examination instead of multiple examinations, reducing the number of questions in the entrance exam, limiting the entrance exam to highly demanded fields, increasing the number of examination centers, facilitating the movement of applicants, and strengthening psychological management and transparent information dissemination are proposed.

Abstract Seeking to revise the policy frameworks of public culture in order to make use of the people-based cultural capital of the Ramadan War, the present report first addresses the discursive nature of the pattern of manifestation of the said capital and identifies the central signifier of the people’s mission together with five discursive elements, which are: 1. belief in the non-responsiveness of the state-monopoly model, 2. courage in declaring the need for a public movement, 3. logical, realistic, and efficient division of labor, 4. a united front of social groups, and 5. the centrality of public will. It then examines the current condition of the formal cultural system and proceeds to the manner of consolidating and elevating cultural capital in the new period. The research believes that the public enthusiasm resulting from the war can be extended through the hope and sense of efficacy arising from participation. To this end, preserving the above discourse and its five pillars, and then extending it into strengthening a facilitative policy system, is the main idea in the reconstruction period. The realization of a facilitative system is accompanied by considerations such as the doubled importance of the reconstruction process through recognizing the participation of concerned cultural actors throughout it; the compatibility of cultural reconstruction with continuous field dynamism; the non-engineering of natural and small local primary nuclei as the main origin of popular effervescence; the monitoring, identification, and sharing of diverse and contingent obstacles along the path of reconstruction; the use of the window of cultural expansion to change the paradigm from regulation to facilitation; the opportunity for positioning the current of intermediary loops in the decline of traditional intermediaries; support for the opportunity of institution-building for genuine popular capacities; and the provision of the ground for identifying new arenas of cultural action and facilitating the emergence of domino effects in the liberation of social capacities. At the end, policy-legislative proposals are also presented for realizing the facilitative platform.

Abstract One of the essential requirements for planning mineral material value chains in the country is obtaining precise, up-to-date, and reliable statistical and informational estimates of the status of reserves in the coming years. On this basis, in the present report, using the information produced in the first issue of this series of reports and based on the Reserve Life Index (RLI) and the mineral extraction coefficient, an effort has been made to present a clear and documented picture of the life of reserves and the degree of criticality in their extraction status. In addition, another essential requirement in the field of mineral extraction in the country is obtaining a precise and comprehensive picture of the government’s direct revenues from mining activities. Under current conditions, the general understanding of the government’s direct revenues in the mining sector is mainly limited to mining royalties. However, enhancing accuracy and transparency in estimating the amount of collected mining royalties, as well as presenting a coherent and disaggregated picture of their components (including provisional, finalized, overdue, and penalties), is among the basic necessities in this field. In this report, with a focus on royalties collected from mines and their components, as well as the government’s special dividend in this sector, an effort has been made to examine part of the most important direct revenues of the government arising from mining activities (which, in an expanded definition, also include income tax, value-added tax, customs duties, and the like).

Abstract With the expansion of democratic systems, the role of the people in evaluating the performance of governments has gone beyond the level of individual and informal judgments and has turned into an arena of conscious and demanding participation. In the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Article 8 of the Constitution also emphasizes the mutual oversight of the people and the rulers; hence, evaluation, as a mechanism of social measurement and feedback, becomes a part of the governance process. In this regard, the present study, using a documentary approach and comparative analysis, explains the nature and rationale of “democratic evaluation” as one of the main approaches of the fourth generation of evaluation and one of the most important approaches of participatory evaluation. The main objective of the research is to describe and explain democratic evaluation as one of the approaches of participatory evaluation in order to understand the existing approaches in participatory evaluation at the global level. The examination of the findings shows that among the types of participatory evaluations, democratic evaluation, unlike technical and bureaucratic models, emphasizes the active presence of the people in the decision-making cycle and collective learning, and can act as a tool to link the government and society. The research result indicates that despite the existence of limitations in “democratic evaluation,” this type of evaluation elevates the people from the position of “subject of evaluation” to “agent of evaluation” and, through dialogue, learning, and collective self-determination, provides the ground for strengthening the political image and transparency of governance. Therefore, understanding the framework of democratic evaluation and the comparative study of successful global experiences in this field will be a beneficial step toward designing a localized evaluation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Abstract Hate speech, creating a negative image and perception of countries, are among the actions that can be organized under the policies of soft war. A policy that, without resorting to military equipment and provoking a military front, prevents target countries from efficient international interaction and communications, and leaves negative impacts on various fields, including the tourism industry. In the present study, by selecting countries that have experienced changes in their tourism industry in the face of hate speech and have used this industry to formulate counter-measures, the types of actions taken through this path have been studied. Generally, this report seeks to answer three questions in the area of the target audience of counter-measures, the institutional architecture of counter-measures, the delegation of authority from tourism-related institutions to other relevant institutions, and counteractive tools and policies. Therefore, the actions of four countries, namely China, Russia, Mexico, and Sri Lanka, in confronting Western hate speech have been studied. The results of the evaluation indicate that in confronting the aforementioned policies, the selected countries have chosen the global community, the national level, and influential intermediaries as their audiences. By delegating authority from tourism institutions to security agencies and the private sector, while ensuring the psychological security of the audience, they have organized their counter-measures under two categories: soft and hard.

Abstract The current processes of identity authentication in Iran for utilizing e-government services, the banking system, and innovative businesses still face slowness, additional costs, and inevitable reliance on in-person visits. The existing systems, including the civil registry system, each have independent identity databases and implement and execute independent digital identity authentication methods. Identity theft and fraud based on it continue to persist. Furthermore, the lack of an integrated legal framework for the activities of private actors has increased the investment risk in the field of digital identity services and significantly reduced the growth rate of this ecosystem. A review of international experiences shows that utilizing novel solutions and diverse technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud computing can enable the identification and verification of users’ identity at any time and place with greater reliability and lower cost. Particularly, new models such as decentralized identity or self-sovereign identity, which use advanced cryptography and architectures, increase trust between the service provider and the recipient and remove the obstacles in traditional processes. From a legislative perspective, drafting and ratifying a comprehensive system for digital identity authentication seems necessary. Given the importance of providing digital identity services in the digital economy, increasing organizational efficiency, and enhancing user satisfaction, this report aims to propose a set of legislative and executive measures to establish integrated, secure, and cost-effective digital identity authentication systems in the country by analyzing successful global models and reviewing current laws and regulations.

Abstract In the valuation system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, homemaking is recognized as a strategic priority; as such, the central role of homemakers in protecting and maintaining the cohesion of the family core holds a foundational position. Homemakers constitute 70.5% of the female population of working age in Iran, and despite the fact that the role of homemaking is recognized in policy and legal documents, the existing support policies are often scattered, non-binding, and lack the necessary comprehensiveness for homemakers. The study of the experiences of five countries with different levels of development and distinct approaches (Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, France, and Brazil) indicates the existence of policies such as allocating “insurance credits” based on the age of children, developing affordable kindergartens, and increasing paternity leave in the support policies of these countries. However, the success of these models is conditional upon changing the workplace culture for fathers’ participation and viewing homemakers not as “service recipients,” but as “creative and innovative actors” and valuing women’s domestic work. Therefore, to elevate the status of homemakers, several solutions are proposed: first, statistical registration and the creation of satellite accounts to calculate the share of domestic work in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in line with valuing domestic work; second, establishing a “care insurance credit” system to count the years of homemaking as retirement records; third, developing care infrastructures (such as kindergartens) and transitioning from cash subsidies toward skills training in innovation centers and taking cultural measures such as promoting paternity leave to reform the pattern of division of labor in the family. It seems that this policy package, through the synergy of responsible institutions, guarantees the economic security and social growth of homemakers.

Abstract Considering the acceleration of technological, environmental, economic, and social developments at national and global levels, the legislative system of the Islamic Republic of Iran needs to be equipped with modern tools for decision-making in complex and uncertain conditions. Foresight, as a participatory, systematic, structured, and future-oriented process, can play a key role in empowering the legislative body to design sustainable, resilient, and forward-looking regulations. With the aim of providing operational pathways for institutionalizing foresight in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, this report introduces four complementary and synergistic levels: first, institution-building for the formation of sustainable legal, organizational, and human resource structures within the legislative branch; second, process-building for integrating foresight into all stages of the policymaking cycle; third, tool-building to provide analytical methods and frameworks usable by representatives and experts; and finally, culture-building as a fundamental pillar for changing attitudes, professional behavior, and promoting institutional identity regarding the future. The content of this report is based on the review of theoretical texts, successful global experiences, and the analysis of the current situation in the country’s legislative system. The proposed suggestions go beyond theoretical recommendations and are presented in the form of executable measures tailored to the country’s conditions. This framework will be a practical step for transitioning from reactive and routine legislation to future-building, intergenerational, and strategic legislation.

Abstract This report is the second in a series of reports and has been prepared with the aim of designing a structured, phased, and policy-oriented framework for effective intervention in the cycle of corruption in Iran, based on the proposed project “Formulation of the National Map for Prevention and Combating of Corruption”. Based on a comparative analysis of countries with successful performance in controlling corruption, a pathology of the country’s current situation, and a review of institutional, legal, informational, and executive gaps, this report proposes a set of mechanisms, strategies, roles, and institutional requirements at three levels of “prevention”, “oversight”, and “response”. In this framework, the roles and responsibilities of key institutions at the three levels of intervention are first separated, and the institutional division of labor is redesigned with the aim of resolving institutional overlaps and promoting accountability. Subsequently, an institutional-informational model is developed for coordination among executive, supervisory, and policymaking bodies, which includes data exchange mechanisms, civic participation, and independent oversight and regulation. In the next stage, the classification of interventions and the presentation of intervention strategies are carried out separately for the three levels of prevention (such as reforming processes and reducing corruption-prone licenses), oversight (simultaneous and data-driven monitoring), and response (transparent and intelligent tracking of violations). In this section, the role of modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, risk analysis systems, and smart dashboards is explained and incorporated into the design of intervention tools. In the final stage, with the aim of facilitating the implementation of the National Document for Combating Corruption, the report addresses the design of legal, policy, and institutional requirements and presents a set of policy proposals, a phased implementation roadmap, the structure of the responsible institution, methods of effective monitoring and regulation, and requirements for the periodic review and updating of the document.

Abstract Social productivity is one of the macro concepts in the administration of countries and is of interest to policymakers. This concept has diverse components in the domains of the individual, institution, and society, such as social participation, public trust, social capital, and social cohesion. In recent years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has faced a decline in the aforementioned components; however, the resilience of Iranian society in economic and social events over the past years provides a picture of ups and downs regarding the status of social productivity in the country. Governments play direct and indirect roles in enhancing or weakening social productivity. A study of leading and similar countries to Iran shows that creating a conducive and facilitating environment, wise organizational leadership and coordination, strengthening the culture of accountability, increasing quality of life and social welfare (strengthening drivers), equal access and opportunities, identifying and valuing social participations, social inclusion and citizen empowerment, distributive justice (strengthening value creators), performance monitoring and evaluation, communication management and coordination, and upgrading infrastructure (managing influential factors) will be effective in promoting social productivity. Additionally, the widespread activity of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) along with the transparency of their performance, the creation of neighborhood-based participatory programs, utilizing the capacity of local religious and cultural places in individual participation, increasing the independence and authority of supervisory and judicial institutions and institutionalizing public accountability in public trust and equal treatment of all members of society, implementing transparent and targeted redistributive policies, and creating social dialogue institutions will play a role in social cohesion.

Abstract Evidence-based policymaking is of high importance for confronting the challenges of today’s changing world. Policymakers, especially in emergency situations, require rapid access to the findings of relevant research. However, high-quality research processes are often time-consuming and cannot always meet the immediate needs of decision-makers. In this regard, “rapid response research” is proposed as an effective tool for enhancing the efficiency of urgent decision-making in governance centers. By introducing the concept of rapid response research and emphasizing the necessity of creating the corresponding mechanism in research centers, this report examines the challenges faced by these centers in utilizing such an approach, and then proposes solutions such as designing institutional mechanisms, strengthening inter-institutional collaborations, human resource capacity building, and enhancing the utilization of modern technologies to use this tool. The implementation of these solutions can facilitate responding to time constraints in policymaking and decision-making, and by improving the efficiency of decisions, increase public trust in evidence-based policymaking.

Abstract This research analyzes the status of cultural allocations by examining Iran’s budget bill for the year 1405 (2026/2027) and conducting a comparative study with countries in the West Asia region and some leading nations. The findings show that the share of cultural sector organizations’ allocations in the country’s public budget expenditures is 1.75% (equivalent to 104 trillion Tomans [Hemmat]). However, more important than the share of the cultural budget is the breakdown of the total cultural budget from the perspective of the type and location of its expenditure; a large portion of the cultural organizations’ allocations is spent on current expenditures, including administrative expenses, salaries, wages, employee welfare, and grants-in-aid, while the share of infrastructure investments, macro plans, and key projects is small. In a comparative analysis, while the cultural sector suffers from a form of administrative-structural routine and distributes a budget of approximately 850 million dollars—mostly based on distributive budgeting and standard, scattered routines—among numerous organizations and institutions, regional competitors such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey have shaped a soft power development race in the region through billion-dollar investments and a focus on “exportable content production” and “macro and key projects”. The results of the research indicate that the current budgeting model in the cultural field and sector of our country lacks a strategic and long-term perspective; thus, it is unable to compete with the cultural diplomacy of rival countries, and the continuation of this trend will lead to the weakening of Iran’s position in the cultural arena of the region and the world.

Abstract Improving the health and medical services of society by playing a role in enhancing productivity, reducing poverty, and strengthening economic growth is recognized as one of the fundamental pillars of economic development and, from this perspective, receives the attention of governments. In addition to development-oriented implications, the special characteristics of the health and health care market make the role of government in this area inevitable. Thus, the logic of government intervention in this field rests on three main axes: remedying market failures, distributive considerations, and political economy. In this context, the SOAR strategic model, by focusing on strengths and opportunities, offers a positive-oriented approach that emphasizes stakeholder participation, goal alignment, and the use of the capacities of the health and medical services system. Based on this approach, an examination of the capacities of Iran’s health and medical services sector shows that it has desirable capacities, the effects of which are evident in indicators such as increased life expectancy and reduced infant and maternal mortality. Among these capacities are the development of the primary care network, the institutional-organizational capacity of health insurance and its coverage level, and broad vaccination coverage. These capacities, together with specialized human resources and growing physical infrastructure, can form the basis for drafting a comprehensive and sustainable strategy to improve Iran’s health and medical services system in confronting future challenges.

Abstract The global acceleration in the development of artificial intelligence and the shortness of the “historical window of opportunity” for entering international competitions have confronted Iranian universities with a fundamental issue. Accordingly, the central question is: what reforms should be made in content, structure, teaching methods, industry linkage, and skill stratification in order to empower universities in training artificial intelligence human resources? To answer this question, the report has used analysis of human resource development strategies in leading countries, a comparative study of the performance of 10 top universities in the world, and an assessment of Iran’s situation, including institutional mapping, national indicators, and a review and pathology analysis of five major universities in the country. The findings of the analyses show that Iranian universities face intertwined challenges, including mainly theoretical curricula, weakness in skills training, a shortage of specialized faculty members, limited data and computational infrastructure, institutional dispersion, and a mismatch between the number of graduates and the real needs of the market. In contrast, the experience of countries such as China, the United States, South Korea, and Singapore shows that streamlining university structures, establishing national artificial intelligence centers, developing interdisciplinary education, and structured university-industry linkage are key elements in a leap in human capacity. Based on this, the report presents a set of solutions: short-term reforms such as defining professional and continuous PhD programs in artificial intelligence, formalizing boot camps and artificial intelligence ambassador networks with the role of linking students to growth centers and accelerators; medium-term institutionalization through the establishment of an “Artificial Intelligence Development and Excellence Center” in universities to coordinate and reorganize programs; and, in the long term, the creation of a national human resources ecosystem based on competency hubs, international cooperation, and sustainable mechanisms for university-industry linkage.

Abstract Corruption is one of the important challenges of governance systems and affects public trust, social justice, economic efficiency, and the legitimacy of official institutions. The experience of countries that have achieved desirable results in controlling corruption shows that a combination of gradual reforms in the legal, institutional, technological, and social participation domains plays a decisive role in the success of anti-corruption policies. The present report, with the aim of drawing on the experiences of other countries, undertakes a comparative study of the anti-corruption structures and policies in five countries—Denmark, Singapore, South Korea, Georgia, and Chile—which have been selected on the basis of criteria such as success in controlling corruption, legal and institutional proximity, and geographic and cultural diversity, and it has sought to analyze the selected models on the basis of authentic global indicators and institutional characteristics. The focus of this review has been on key dimensions such as political will, institution-building, legal frameworks, transparency-enhancing technologies, and the role of civil society. Based on the findings of this study, success in reducing corruption requires adopting a comprehensive, phased approach based on the synergy of each country’s internal capacities. Alongside reviewing the measures taken in Iran, this report identifies opportunities for improvement and strengthening in areas such as enhancing institutional coordination, effective implementation of existing laws, development of open-data systems, and the active participation of the media and civil institutions. The establishment of a central coordinating body with a supra-branch status, a direct budget, and direct reporting to the heads of the three branches of government; access to all public administrative and financial data; amendment of the law on reviewing the assets of officials; and the addition of a clause mandating the online public disclosure of the assets and economic interests of officials are among the policy recommendations of this report.

Abstract The parliamentary system of England, due to its evolutionary structure and institutionalized linkage with the governmental structure, has always been among the key and important subjects in parliamentary studies. The legislative institution in this country consists of two fundamental pillars, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which side by side perform the important duties of legislation, oversight of the executive branch, and examination of current national issues. The methodical interaction of these two chambers has, in practice, created an efficient system of checks and balances in England’s political structure. This study, using a case-study approach, goes beyond examining the traditional structure of governance and legislative processes and precisely analyzes innovative tools and approaches in this institution. In this regard, recent experiences of the UK Parliament, such as the “2027 Digital Parliament Strategic Document,” mechanisms for enhancing vote transparency, oversight institutionalization, and other scientific support capacities, have been analyzed. Ultimately, the final goal of this comparative study is to extract policy approaches and provide strategic recommendations for ideation, localization, and enhancing process efficiency in the Islamic Consultative Assembly.

Abstract The Islamic Revolution of Iran was shaped around the people, and popular institution-building not only solved the problems of the early revolution, but was also the driving force of social progress. After the first Sacred Defense, governmental and quasi-governmental patterns to some extent replaced popularization. As the martyred leader of the revolution repeatedly emphasized the need to return to the track of the people. The Ramadan War and the “people’s mission” revived the atmosphere of the revolutionary days in many respects and led to unprecedented social cohesion. In the midst of a great war, people were present in neighborhoods and ensured the country’s stability. This situation is a strategic opportunity for redesigning governance. The most important challenge of Iranian governance is clarifying the “idea of governance” in determining the relationship between the place of the people and the government. The question is: how will people be present in governance, and what is the government’s relation to them? Using a mixed method (field observation of 40 districts and an expert panel), this report presents the model of “neighborhood-centered governance based on cooperation” as an indigenous and effective model of popularization. The neighborhood is the natural point of connection between the individual, the family, and society, and the experience of the Ramadan War has demonstrated its capacity in solving the challenges of polarization and women’s participation. The proposed model is a hierarchical structure ranging from local cooperatives to a national cooperative assembly that simultaneously covers three domains: - In the economic sphere, focusing on people-based financial resources, people-based productive power, and frugality; - In the social sphere, preserving cohesion and connecting people to governance institutions; - In the cultural sphere, practical norm-setting (not merely verbal) with a family-centered orientation. - The presence of the government should also be obstacle-removing, data-driven, and a smart financial provider (not dependency-creating).

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Abstract The tradition of popular gatherings in support of Islamic Iran is regarded as one manifestation of intangible cultural heritage. Therefore, placing the popular gatherings during the Ramadan War in the process of registration in the national heritage list seems necessary. Along with registering this tradition in the intangible heritage list, safeguarding, symbolization, and registration of tangible symbols of these gatherings and national resistance in the course of the third imposed war gain essential functions due to their role in stabilizing and transmitting collective narratives, representing social solidarity, and materially supporting the intangible cultural heritage formed around these gatherings. Therefore, this report has been written with the aim of providing a strategic package for identifying the symbols of national resistance in the course of the third imposed war and offering policy recommendations for their registration, symbolization, and preservation. Specifically, in the area of national registration, the flag of the Prophet’s Square of Imam Mahdi (May God hasten his reappearance) in Tehran and the place where it remained raised (owing to its national significance, being the site of an important social and cultural event, etc.) and the site of the martyrdom of Maryam al-Sadat Rafigh on Enqelab-e Eslami Street (owing to its ability to be included under important political and social events) have the necessary capacity for national registration. Also proposed are the creation of student murals (due to their capacity to be attributed to an important political event); symbolization at the site of the missile strike on the railway network in Qom and the memorial for its 40-hour reconstruction (due to being a site of an important political event); and symbolization of the “pink missile” narrative (owing to national significance and attribution to important events), as well as the handwritten notes of the Iranian nation during the nighttime gatherings as an element worthy of preservation.

Abstract Over the last two decades, the decline in the fertility rate and the increase in the age of marriage have become a serious challenge in Iran. In response, the “Law on Family Support and Youth Population” was approved in the year 1400 (2021/2022), but its success depends on the people’s perception and evaluation of its effectiveness. The current report examines this issue using a “people-centered evaluation” approach. The findings show that the issue of childbearing is deeply tied to two main components: “solving economic problems” and “educational concerns.” However, the public’s overall evaluation score is 39.4 out of 100, which indicates relative dissatisfaction. People do not consider intermittent incentives such as loans to be sufficient and are demanding sustainable livelihood support. In the dimension of parenting, housing is of special importance as “infrastructure for upbringing.” In the field of mothers’ employment, ensuring job security after childbirth and reducing the “opportunity cost of motherhood” are among the main demands. Additionally, concerns about the experience of safe childbirth and the teenage years of children remain unanswered. Evaluations show that receiving at least one-third of the services improves the public’s evaluation, but the main problem lies in implementation and unfair coverage. Ultimately, readjusting policies requires a shift from “numerical commitments” to “structural facilitation” and the sustainable provision of the economic and social needs of families.

Abstract Conflict of interest in the country’s water sector, which is rooted in non-transparent decision-making, inappropriate allocation of water resources, and failure to prioritize projects according to their efficiency, can lead to unsustainable use of water resources, environmental consequences, social tensions, and water disputes. In this regard, the concentration of decision-making in the arbitrary allocation of water resources and prioritizing partisan, political, and economic motives over the sustainability of the country’s natural wealth and systems can lead to the intensification of the crisis in the vital water sector. According to the reviews in this report, a portion of the country’s water projects, such as dam construction projects, water transfer, and national remedial plans such as the Groundwater Resources Restoration and Balancing Plan, can be affected by conflicts of interest and, consequently, a reduction in managerial and political will in their implementation process. The investigations in this report show that a significant percentage of the projects under the Groundwater Resources Restoration and Balancing Plan, more than a decade after their approval, have either not been implemented or are being implemented with very low percentages (2 and 5 percent in some cases) or have been completely stopped; therefore, controlling and reducing conflict of interest in the water sector is essential for the sustainable management of the country’s water resources, and water governance mechanisms must be aligned by improving transparency, establishing an independent oversight mechanism, and strengthening regulatory institutions. Furthermore, inclusive participation of stakeholders will lead to advancing decisions in this sector based on scientific criteria and fair, evidence-based principles (not based on political and partisan tendencies).

Abstract In the Seventh Development Plan Law, goals have been set to improve the electricity imbalance situation; among the goals of this law are increasing the nominal capacity of power plants to 124,000 megawatts, including 12,000 megawatts of renewable power plants, and achieving a positive balance of 1,632 megawatts; a goal that is far from the situation of the summer of last year, when this balance had reached -14,750 megawatts. However, considering that about 4,300 megawatts of new power plant capacity has been added to the country in the year 1404 (2025/2026), and a significant portion of it relates to solar power plants, it is expected that the imbalance between demand and supply of electricity will decrease in the coming summer compared to the previous year. In this report, by monitoring data related to the year 1404, the realization rate of the goals of the electricity sector in the Seventh Development Plan Law has been evaluated. In general, the results show that the realization rate of the Seventh Plan’s goals in the electricity sector is acceptable in some indicators, such as the share of electricity transactions on the exchange and the nominal capacity of renewable power plants, with a performance of more than 90 percent, while in other indicators, such as cross-border electricity exchanges and unsupplied load during peak demand, its performance has not been desirable, such that they have had a realization percentage of less than 25 percent. Overall, the performance of the Ministry of Energy in achieving the goals of the Seventh Plan shows that in the second year of the plan, on average, about 41 percent of the goals set for this period have been realized, but compared to the final goals of the plan at the end-of-period horizon, the realization rate has been about 13 percent.

Abstract The business environment in Iran has faced the issue of instability in regulations and executive procedures and a decrease in the predictability of the economic environment in recent years. This issue has affected the behavior of investors, manufacturing enterprises, and economic actors and has limited the possibility of medium-term and long-term planning. In such conditions, sudden policy changes, the issuance of impromptu circulars and instructions, and the lack of effective information dissemination before the implementation of regulations have led to an increase in the risk of economic activity, higher transaction costs, and ultimately the movement of resources toward non-productive activities. In response to these challenges, the legislator, by approving Article (24) of the “Law on Continuous Improvement of the Business Environment” (approved on February 5, 2012) and also Article (30) added pursuant to Article (2) of the “Law on Facilitating the Issuance of Business Licenses” (approved on March 15, 2022), has attempted to strengthen stability, transparency, and legal security in the country’s economic space by obliging the government and executive bodies to provide information about regulatory changes and creating mechanisms for stakeholder participation in the regulation-making process. In the present report, after an introduction and mention of study backgrounds as well as the legal and regulatory history, the third section addresses the requirements for the implementation of Articles (24) and (30) of the “Law on Continuous Improvement…” and related regulations. Also, the relationship between Articles (24) and (30) and related regulations is explained, and in the end, points are provided as a conclusion and policy proposal.

Abstract The Criminal Procedure Code, as the most important criminal formal law in any country’s legal system, requires the necessary infrastructure for implementation. The Criminal Procedure Code of Iran, which was approved in 2013 and implemented in 2015 after applying amendments, requires the application of further amendments due to the failure to provide the necessary infrastructure and flaws in some of its articles. The draft for the amendment of articles of the Criminal Procedure Code was received by the Islamic Consultative Assembly in October 2024 to resolve these issues. Overall, the draft for the amendment of articles of the Criminal Procedure Code is acceptable and possesses many strengths, including attention to important axes of the law, attention to the rights of the accused and the plaintiff, and the needs of the judiciary and judicial officers. However, unnecessary or harmful amendments are also observed in some instances. Given the strengths and weaknesses of the draft, the proposals of the Parliament Research Center are categorized into three groups: in agreement with the proposed provision and acceptable as stated in the draft, acceptable on the condition of applying amendments, and unacceptable.

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