Center for Development and Foresight Research recently hosted a scientific-specialized conference. The conference, titled "Transformations in the Administrative-Political Divisions of Iran: Approaches and Policy Recommendations" saw the participation of several distinguished personalities. Dr. Seyyed Jafar Hosseini, the head of the Department of Spatial Planning and Regional Planning of the Plan and Budget Organization of Islamic Republic of Iran, served as the scientific director for the event. The conference also featured Dr. Gholamreza Kazemian, an Associate Professor at Allameh Tabatabai University and former Director-General of Urban Planning and Development Plans of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development. Dr. Zahra Ahmadi, Director-General of the Office of National Divisions of the Ministry of Interior, was among the scientific speakers at the conference.

In the opening remarks of this conference, Dr. Seyyed Jafar Hosseini, the head of the Department of Spatial Planning and Regional Planning of the Plan and Budget Organization of Islamic Republic of Iran, drew attention to the interconnectedness of population movement and the administrative-political divisions of Iran. Dr. Hosseini emphasized that while these two phenomena might appear separate, they are in fact closely intertwined. He pointed out that changes and developments in the country's divisions have been a significant driver of population movement. Furthermore, Dr. Hosseini highlighted the role of the country's divisions in fostering growth and development across various regions. However, he candidly admitted that efforts to achieve an optimal model for the country's divisions have not been entirely successful. Given the high sensitivities surrounding these issues, Dr. Hosseini expressed realism about the challenges faced by decision-making institutions in creating a new model, particularly at the provincial level.

Dr. Seyyed Jafar Hosseini has called for a systematic review of the country's budgeting and administrative systems. In his remarks, Dr. Hosseini highlighted the intricate relationship between the budgeting system and the model of the country's divisions. He warned that significant disruptions could occur in the country's divisions if these two subjects are not clearly differentiated. Dr. Hosseini proposed that the budgeting system should be planned based on the document of Spatial Planning rather than the country's divisions. He argued that until this model and separation are implemented, competitions in the country's divisions will remain unresolved. He also pointed out that Iran has a large number of cities with populations fewer than three thousand. This underscores the need to mend the defective relationship between the budgeting system and the country's divisions. Dr. Hosseini emphasized that changes in political units are a minor issue compared to individual, partisan, and organizational interests. He suggested that the basis of budgeting and the country's administrative system should be development-oriented.

Dr. Seyyed Jafar Hosseini has shed light on the negative effects of inappropriate competition in the country's divisions. In his remarks, Dr. Hosseini attributed the defective competition in the country's divisions to Iran's oil-based economy. He pointed out that forty to fifty years of oil budgeting have significantly contributed to this phenomenon. To address this issue, Dr. Hosseini stressed the need for a fundamental solution. Furthermore, Dr. Hosseini highlighted the relationship between the budgeting system, the neglected development capacities of the country, Spatial Planning, and administrative-political divisions. He proposed that the capacities considered for the country's future development path within the framework of spatial development planning and Spatial Planning should be the criterion for the general budgeting process instead of administrative-political divisions.

Dr. Kazemian, former Director-General of Urban Planning and Development Plans of the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, shed light on the intricacies of spatial planning in the country. He emphasized the importance of considering national, urban, and regional plans. He further elaborated on the spatial division of the country into regions, zones, urban complexes, cities, and villages as an integral part of the country's spatial planning divisions. Dr. Kazemian also highlighted a development approach that distinguishes four regions from each other. He noted an interesting trend where more powerful regions continue to strengthen while weaker regions face a decline. This disparity is evident in the country's divisions where stronger regions preserve their status and separate themselves from more deprived regions during the formation of a new province. This process has significant social implications as it leads to the relocation of social capital across different regions. It may even trigger mass emigration from one region.

In a continuation of his enlightening lecture, Dr. Kazemian delved deeper into the complexities of regional planning. He emphasized the need for internal coherence within regions and the alignment of regional development plans with national ones. However, he also pointed out the obstacles to such a programmatic approach, including centralized administrative systems, neglect of capacities, spatial planning, and sectoral perspectives. Dr. Kazemian candidly acknowledged the weaknesses in regional management and stressed that pure planning alone would not lead to regional development. He advocated for a comprehensive approach that includes development management, budgeting, supervision, and control in addition to planning. Yet, he lamented that regional development plans are often abandoned in practice.

Touching upon the concepts of equality, balance, and equilibrium in the context of the country's divisions, Dr. Kazemian stated that while regions need not be equal, there must be balanced access to services. He acknowledged the cultural diversity in Iran as a valuable asset but warned that imbalances could threaten this diversity. Dr. Kazemian reflected on the history of planning systems in the country. He noted that despite having planning mechanisms in place for approximately six decades and various measures and investments undertaken, comprehensive development remains elusive.

Dr. Kazemian then shifted his focus to the principles of endogenous development and poverty alleviation. He identified five key pillars that are integral to regional development discussions: human resources, environmental factors, institutional capital, infrastructure factors, and intangible factors such as social capacities. He asserted that prioritizing these five pillars is crucial for achieving balanced development. He underscored the importance of national coherence and unity in planning. He advocated for a simple and unified system that respects diversity and pluralism as an essential requirement for achieving balanced development in the country. He stressed that the country's divisions must be proportional to the capacity of each region and that regional development management should be based on general and regional sectors.

Dr. Kazemian proposed a shift from a government-centric system to a regional, local, and people-centered leadership system in new national divisions. He emphasized that development requires a domain that acts like a container and must be structured according to its capacity. However, he warned against further divisions of space in the absence of a valid theory and vertical and horizontal coordination in development. He argued that reducing divisions is not inherently problematic, provided there is a coordinating mechanism vertically and horizontally, and all the country's capacities are taken into account. Dr. Kazemian highlighted the implications of national divisions on various aspects such as development-oriented, cultural, security, financial, and economic efficiency. He pointed out that each province creates more than five thousand administrative posts, indicating the complexity of managing national divisions. He stressed the need for facilitating services and considering residents' satisfaction. He concluded his lecture by acknowledging the shortcomings in spatial development planning in the country. He called for an interactive operation between the Ministry of Interior, the Plan and Budget Organization, and the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development in a development-oriented model of national divisions.

Following Dr. Kazemian's lecture, Dr. Zahra Ahmadi, the Director-General of the National Divisions Office of the Ministry of Interior, spoke about the historical aspect of national divisions in Iran. She mentioned that national divisions have been a part of Iran's heritage since the Medes era and have always been managed by rulers. She noted that since 1937, national divisions were formed into provinces, counties, and cities according to the law and have continued until now. She emphasized that this heritage is not easily changeable. Dr. Ahmadi emphasized the need to align the performance of national divisions with societal needs. She stated that the primary goal of national divisions is planning, which enables rulers to implement these plans effectively.

Dr. Ahmadi also touched upon the concept of sustainable development. She explained that hypothetical lines are drawn based on different laws and joint management, aiming to create consistency. She advocated for national divisions to facilitate vertical and horizontal coordination and foster regional and local interactions. However, she acknowledged that these approaches are ideals that must be considered. She stressed the importance of economic efficiency and equality in providing assistance to the people, all within the framework of the law. She expressed concern over the centralization of resources in provinces. She called for a fresh perspective to address this issue.

Dr. Ahmadi cited the progress made in South Khorasan since 2004 and the yearly prosperity seen in Ardabil Province as examples of successful regional development. She noted that the country's budgeting system is based on national divisions and that underdeveloped areas can be steered towards development with targeted divisions. However, she also welcomed new ideas for the development of less developed areas and stated that administrative-political divisions could serve as agents for distributing development and prosperity. She emphasized that changes and divisions are not necessary if development can be achieved through another model. Dr. Ahmadi concluded by advocating for a cohesive system and suggested that if other indicators are corrected, national divisions will also stop. However, she warned that if other parts are not corrected, national divisions will continue until the desired point of regional development is reached.

Dr. Ahmadi expressed concerns about the challenges faced by people living in different areas, land subsidence, and the emergence of new cities with high population density. She noted that it is surprising to know that new cities are sometimes managed by the municipality. She highlighted the worrying trend of rural depopulation and urban expansion, questioning the sustainability of city expansion. The Director-General emphasized the need to correct foundational issues, stating that incomplete governance divisions do not solve the problem. She referred to the law passed in 1983 on national divisions and suggested that adhering this law could eliminate many deviations and benefit the people. She called for collective efforts to correct these trends and stressed the importance of acting within the legal framework. She concluded by stating that amending the law is the only way to correct national divisions.