The impact of Iran's structure of power and governance on the management of the COVID-19 crisis in Iran

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a significant crisis in human history due to its global impact, fast transmission, absence of a definitive cure, and simultaneous impact on various aspects of society. Evaluating the factors that have been effective in managing this crisis is crucial to improve the governments' preparedness for similar situations in the future. Based on various articles, Iran has faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many of its decisions and policies have been subject to criticism by experts and the general public. To better understand Iran's response to the pandemic, this paper will focus on the concept of crisis management and analyze various sources, including scientific databases, newspapers, and scholarly articles. The study's results show that Iran's power and governance structure have affected the management of COVID-19. The country's complex and hierarchical government heavily relies on the Supreme Leader and informal connections. However, during a crisis, the country's governance structure can result in a delayed response, lack of public trust, securitization of the crisis, decision-making without integrity, lack of foresight, absence of executive bodies' independence, and participation of non-specialist members. This governance structure has been identified as a crucial factor contributing to the ineffective management of crises, such as the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran. Key words: Crisis management, COVID-19 crisis, structure of power and governance, Iran