Diagnosing and Rethinking Governance in Iran’s Supreme Council for Non-Oil Export Development

Over the past four decades, economic governance in Iran—particularly in the domain of non-oil exports—has been a testing ground for diverse institutional models. Within this context, the Supreme Council for Non-Oil Export Development, as a prominent example of council-based governance, has been mandated to ensure inter-sectoral coordination and address structural barriers. Nevertheless, its performance has consistently faced serious questions regarding effectiveness and policy coherence. The present study aims to conduct an in-depth diagnostic analysis and strategic reconsideration of the Council’s processes and institutional role through a critical lens. This qualitative research employs thematic analysis, with data collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 subject-matter experts, alongside content analysis of relevant documents, laws, and resolutions. The study’s conceptual framework is grounded in the typology of institutional coordination at horizontal, vertical, and policy levels. Findings reveal that the Council suffers from substantial structural and functional weaknesses across four dimensions: vertical coordination, horizontal coordination, policy coherence, and policy coordination. Key issues include overlapping mandates, fluctuating authority, the absence of robust evaluation and accountability mechanisms, the dominance of short-term policies, reliance on raw commodity exports, and neglect of innovation and market diversification. These deficiencies have limited the adoption of evidence-based policymaking and diminished the Council’s role to that of a low-impact advisory body. The study concludes that reforming the Council’s legal and structural standing, establishing a transparent monitoring and evaluation system, strengthening private sector engagement, and adopting an innovative, future-oriented policy approach are essential conditions for enhancing governance in non-oil export development. By providing a systematic account of the underlying causes of institutional inefficiency, this research offers a grounded basis for institutional reform and for advancing export development in alignment with national strategic documents and global trends.