Ksenia Kirillova
On September 9, the Valdai Discussion Club, a Moscow-based think tank, published the report “Neither East Nor West: How the Iranian Economy Handles Sanctions.” The report analyzes the several waves of sanctions imposed on Iran and concludes that the country did not cope well with overcoming their consequences. The authors note, “It turned out to be impossible to simultaneously maintain the exchange rate and inflation, as well as meet the needs of socially vulnerable population groups. … Administrative measures had the opposite effect” and led to inflation of no less than 40 percent per year (Valdai Discussion Club, September 9). Since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine, some Kremlin propagandists have called for turning to the Iranian experience of living under sanctions. In 2022, several publications appeared trying to analyze the Iranian economy “if projected on Russia” to understand how much of Tehran’s experience could be applied in Russia (Рlusworld.ru, August 1, 2022). Overall, the authors of such articles drew optimistic conclusions that “solving complicated issues stimulates development.” Under sanctions, Iran was able to conduct scientific research and even make breakthroughs—albeit “on a limited scale” (Еurasianet, January 23, 2023). Despite the Valdai Club report, Russia’s continued economic deterioration has caused some in Moscow to look at other countries’ experiences under sanctions, primarily Iran, for a potential model to better combat degradation.
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