Struggling for a Sustainable Economy: Iran after the JCPOA

Following the United States’ decision to withdraw from the JCPOA in May 2018, the Iran dossier has come back at the forefront of contemporary world politics. New rounds of sanctions imposed on Iran are likely to have a significant impact on the political and economic sustainability of the Islamic Republic, which has recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. They will exacerbate the existing economic difficulties in the country, which may cause occasional political unrest. Indeed, sanctions are not the only hardship suffered by the Iranian economy, but serious structural and monetary problems have also emerged. However, due to the complexity of the Iranian political system, these sanctions and economic problems are not going to endanger the existence of the Islamic Republic in the short time.

This publication is part of the MENARA Future Notes series which in the form of policy briefs analyse ongoing events in the SEMCs and Middle East region, emphasising the implications for the EU, suggesting the best policy options and assessing plausible and preferable future scenarios.