Why Iran's economy is too tainted to succeed

UANI Policy Director Jason Brodsky: "As finance ministers and global economic heavyweights gather in Washington for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Iran's future in the international financial system will certainly be a topic of intense discussion.  This year's conclave will be the first since the implementation of the nuclear deal between the P5+1 and Iran in January 2016.  IMF staff recently concluded a visit to Tehran, and reported that "economic conditions are improving substantially in 2016/2017."  They added that real GDP is projected to rise by at least 4.5%; oil production has risen to pre-sanction levels; and inflation is being tackled by the application of "ambitious reforms."  But policymakers and business leaders should not get swept up in the hype surrounding the alleged new Iranian gold rush in the aftermath of the lifting of sanctions.  Iran's economy remains mired in corruption, hobbled by political infighting; and wanting in transparency, with many key sectors controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-a terror organization sanctioned by the U.S. and international community. Thus, significant structural impediments to rejoining the international community loom large... In the end, betting on Iran at this juncture could turn into a disastrous gamble, for the mullahs have still not decided whether the Islamic Republic is a revolutionary religious cause or an ordinary nation-state, as Henry Kissinger once suggested."