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After a period of growth following implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran has plunged into a serious recession. US secondary sanctions, including an attempted embargo on the export of Iranian oil, in addition to the impact of Covid-19 and endemic corruption, have combined to present the Islamic Republic with some of its biggest economic challenges in decades. At the same time, Iran has diversified its economy so that it relies more on services than oil and it has expanded trade with neighbors. A growing private sector competes for capital with state-run entities, including businesses controlled by the Revolutionary Guards.

The Atlantic Council’s Future of Iran Initiative hosted a timely discussion on Iran’s economy on June 26, 2020 from 9:30 am – 10:30 am via Zoom. The event was open to press and on the record.

A conversation with

Nadereh Chamlou
Former Senior Adviser
World Bank

Kevan Harris
Assistant Professor of Sociology
University of California-Los Angeles

Mohsen Tavakol
Non-resident Senior Fellow
The Atlantic Council

Moderated by

Barbara Slavin
Director, Future of Iran Initiative
Atlantic Council