Program and Development Research

Program and Development Research

A Critical Assessment of Industrial Policy Documents in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Reza Moosaei 1
Vahid Seyfi 2
1 Master's Degree, Development Economics Group, Faculty of Islamic Knowledge and Economics, Imam Sadiq University (AS), Tehran, Iran
2 Ph.D. Candidate in Economics (Finance), Imam Sadiq University (AS), Tehran, Iran
10.22034/pbr.2025.495483.1489
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade of Iran has undertaken four separate efforts to develop a national industrial development strategy. Despite these initiatives—and setting aside the effects of sanctions in the last decade—clarifying the government’s role in industrial development and articulating a coherent strategic roadmap remains a critical issue for Iran’s economy. This study aims to evaluate and diagnose the shortcomings of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s industrial policy documents, particularly in relation to the goals of the Resistance Economy.
This research adopts a mixed-methods approach with an applied orientation. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis based on semi-structured interviews, alongside a meta-synthesis of prior studies. The findings were further evaluated through an Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) questionnaire.
The results highlight several key deficiencies in Iran’s industrial development policy framework. These include: the absence of necessary institutional structures; weak governance and regulatory capacity; barriers to investment and financing;  distortions in the product market; shortcomings in policy formulation and strategic design; challenges in research and development and technological cooperation; and a lack of adaptability in policies concerning emerging technologies.
Keywords
Industrial Policy
Industrial Development
Resistance Economy
Importance-Performance Analysis
Policy Documents of Industrial Development in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Subjects

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Program and Development Research
Volume 6, Issue 2 - Serial Number 22
Summer 2025
Pages 215-252