Iran’s economy has undergone a so-called ‘privatization’ for a number of years. The ‘privatization campaign’ as it is called, began with a turn of events that occurred in 2005. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had become the regime’s president, and the executive branch was filled with loyalists who agreed with Khamenei’s strategic blueprint for the future.
Oil revenues were rapidly increasing, and Khamenei saw the opportunity to restructure Iran’s economy. Shortly after Ahmadinejad came to office, in May, 2005, the first official order was issued for the purpose of placing 80% of all economic enterprises under the supervision of “non-government public, private and cooperative sectors,” to be completed by the end of 2009.