By Bradford Van Arnum, AIC Research Associate

The Iranian presidential election in June of 2013 occurred against the backdrop of not only the issue of the country’s nuclear program, but also of an economy in crisis. The two were, in many ways, inextricably linked; the international sanctions regime at the time was significantly harming the Iranian economy, and unlike previous unilateral action by the United States, these sanctions had done much to block Iran’s access to the global financial system. With the election centered on these twin issues of addressing the nuclear standoff and restoring the economy, an opening was provided for more moderate leadership than that seen under President Ahmadinejad, who had not shied away from confrontation with the United States. Ultimately, it was Hassan Rouhani who won the election on the promise of ending the nuclear impasse and addressing the economic crisis. However, the economic challenges the new administration faced became abundantly clear as soon as Rouhani was inaugurated.