Economist Censures Gov’t Plan to Divide Ministry of Industries

 In recent decades, Iran’s economy has been grappling with a major challenge, namely government intervention in the economy at various levels, which started at the beginning of the 199 Islamic Revolution with the nationalization of industries. 
The three ministries of Heavy and Light Industries, Mines and Metals assumed responsibility for the production sector and the Ministry of Commerce carried out tasks such as market regulation in foreign commerce with large-scale companies and a broad institutional framework in the field of distribution and supply of goods.
More than a decade into the merger of the two ministries, the media are reporting news about the impending separation of the commerce wing from the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade and the formation of a new organization or ministry. 
Ali Hayatnia, an economist, prefaced his write-up for the Persian economic daily Donya-e-Eqtesad with this note. A translation of the text follows: