The Conference titled “Parliamentary Intervention in Budgeting: A Scrutiny-Seeking Issue” with a concentration on improving the budgeting process in Iran, held at the Center for Development Research and Foresight, brought together experts to discuss the role of parliament in budget decision-making. The conference highlighted the ongoing debate about the extent to which parliament should be involved in the budgeting process, with some arguing for more oversight and others emphasizing the need for executive flexibility.

The importance of examining the extent of parliamentary intervention in budgeting was a subject that stated by a public law researcher, Muslim Aghaei Touq. He stressed the need to clarify the country's approach to budget-related issues, noting that this has significant implications for policymaking.

The challenges of balancing parliamentary oversight with executive efficiency was another major point that pointed out by Mohsen Najafi Khah, the head of the advisory board of the Audit Court. He acknowledged the importance of parliamentary involvement but pointed to the challenges posed by limited timeframes and the complexity of the budgeting system. He also highlighted the differences between presidential and parliamentary systems, and the role of party structures in shaping budgetary processes.

The role of the constitution in shaping budgetary authority was a topic that was discussed by Vali Rostami, a professor of public law. He outlined three basic approaches to parliamentary intervention in budgeting: budgeting parliaments, parliaments based on law, and parliaments with minimal powers. He argued that the Iranian constitution provides mixed signals, with some articles granting parliament broad powers and others emphasizing the executive's responsibility. He called for a middle ground that respects both parliamentary oversight and executive flexibility, and suggested that general budgeting policies could help address existing ambiguities.

Overall, this conference highlighted the complex and multifaceted nature of the debate over parliamentary intervention in budgeting. While there is no easy solution, the conference provided a valuable platform for experts to share their insights and perspectives.