Stagflation and high unemployment have led Iran to raise fuel prices – resulting in violent protests. But while US sanctions are not helping, Iran must tackle serious economic reforms, says the resident scholar of the Arab Gulf States Institute.
In the immediate aftermath of the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran was looking forward to reaping the benefits of a sanctions-free future. However, major UK and EU banks are holding back on entering the country. James King examines why.
Iran's potential – with its abundant natural resources, young and educated workforce, advantageous geographical location and emerging status as a tourism hub – can now be realised with the sanctions imposed against the country dropped. This is an opportunity that cannot be missed, writes Ali Taiebnia, the country's minister of economic affairs and finance.
From financially motivated cyber crime to politically influenced cyber warfare, the virtual threats to financial institutions are multiplying. Companies must respond by arming themselves against such attacks or else they risk losing their footing on the new digital battleground.
A new generation of sovereign wealth funds – from resource-rich economies in Africa and Latin America – has emerged over the past few years. While these new funds are still relatively small, their impact could be sizable if they enable their source countries to secure stable economic growth and mitigate future risks associated with the booms and busts of the commodity cycle.
An Iranian economist reports from the country, telling how the targeted US and UN sanctions have delivered a huge blow to the country's economy, an economy that was already overly dependent upon oil revenues and reeling from years of mismanagement.
Since awarding the first dedicated investment banking licence in Iran in 2007, the country's Securities and Exchange Organisation has moved slowly, granting only two more licences despite the proliferation of banks looking to expand into the space. But licences are not the only thing lacking in Iranian investment banking; the dearth of large private companies and investment banking expertise is also stunting its growth.
The Iranian government is insistent that the growing number of sanctions on the country is not having a detrimental effect on the country's economy. Yet, with its banks limited by the financial instruments they can use and the international banks that they can partner, it is proving increasingly difficult for them to remain profitable.
The Top 25 country ranking of the Top 500 Islamic institutions clearly demonstrates that Iran, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia are by far the three largest countries providing Islamic finance, with Iran’s total amounting to $154.6bn of sharia-compliant assets (SCAs) accounting for 30.9% of the global aggregate total of $500.5bn.