Iran’s policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates how countries with pre-existing challenges manage acute crises. Already economically weakened by international sanctions, Iran’s government was forced to consider short-term tradeoffs between public health and social stability in pandemic response, with imminent unemployment and food insecurity used to justify a policy pivot from mitigation to economic continuity. This article investigates the policy responses of Iran’s government during the crucial first months of the pandemic, using data obtained through interviews structured around SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and interpreted to elicit insights for policy capacity theory and practice.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17516234.2021.1930682?src=

PDF of full text: Sajadi&Hartley_Iran-Covid19

Sajadi, Hamid and Hartley, Kris. (2021). “COVID-19 pandemic response in Iran: a dynamic perspective on policy capacity.” Journal of Asian Public Policy.