Majlis Report on Resistance Economy in Two Months

Rooz Online

Two months since Iran’s leader ayatollah Khamenei issued orders for the implementation of the “economy of resistance” in the country, various powerful figures and centers have still not come up with a common understanding of this model. In the meantime, Zargham Sadeghi, a member of the presiding board of parliament announced that the Majlis would present its report on the subject to the supreme leader in the month of Khordad (May 22 to June 21). Referencing the presence of the minister of economy and the minister of trade in the Majlis, he said they would present “programs for the implementation of economy of resistance policies” to the Majlis which would ultimately present the final proposals to the supreme leader during its annual meeting with ayatollah Khamenei.

The ministers of these two government agencies were invited to the Majlis to present their programs for resistance economy as the executive branch itself has been holding special meetings in the “coordination commission for resistance economy.” Its last meeting was held last Friday in the presence of president Rouhani and his cabinet ministers.

Despite these organizational setups, conservative principlists and government officials have not yet come up with a clear and acceptable definition of resistance economy. This may explain why media that belongs to the principlists and those that belong to supporters of the supreme leader continue to write narratives that attempt to uncover the meaning of resistance economy.

Alef website belonging to principlists Ahmad Tavakoli, for example, wrote, “To implement resistance economy, the government must announce the specific details of its plans to the public while all government employees must be made aware of the spirit of these policies. The use of encouragement incentives to reduce low productivity and efficiency of government employees should be utilized in the implementation of these programs.”

Raja news close to the steadfast front – another principlists outfit – wrote a piece in which it called on the government to be transparent in order to implement resistance economy.

About two months ago ayatollah Khamenei had asked the three heads of government to drawn up plans to implement resistance economy without any delay, while diversifying the sources of the country’s imports. According to such plans, the production of goods that are imported from outside will have to increase domestically while their import sources need to be diversified.

The representative of ayatollah Khamenei in the Basij mobilization force had earlier said that resistance economy had made a positive impact on the Geneva talks last year that produced the interim nuclear deal with the P5+1 countries. Principlists generally believe that resistance economy can help the country withstand international economic sanctions.