The Economic Legacy of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Crown Centre for Middle East Studies

by Nader Habibi

Middle East Brief 74, June 2013

On June 14, 2013, Iran will hold its 11th presidential election to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. During his two terms in office, Ahmadinejad implemented a number of broad economic reforms and policies that have had a profound effect on socioeconomic conditions in Iran. In this Brief, Prof. Nader Habibi explores Ahmadinejad's eight year legacy by analyzing his economic ideas, political strategies and interactions with various centers of power. Prof. Habibi concludes that Ahmadinejad's emphasis on economic justice and reduction of inequality, in addition to his expansion of the Revolutionary Guards' role in the economy, is likely to have a long-term impact on the distribution of economic opportunities and efficiency in Iran.

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