Moderation and Development Party

{{short description|Pragmatic-centrist political party in Iran}} {{Infobox Political Party | native_name = حزب اعتدال و توسعه | native_name_lang = fa | position = Centre<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-17141030|title=Guide: Iranian parliamentary elections|work=BBC World|date=27 February 2012 |access-date=March 10, 2015}}</ref> | national = Pragmatists Reformists | colorcode = #984B9E | name = Moderation and Development Party | logo = Logo of MDP.png | logo_size = 200px | leader = Hassan Rouhani<ref name="m">{{citation|url=http://al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/07/rise-iranian-moderates.html|title=The Rise of the Iranian Moderates|date=5 July 2013|access-date=7 December 2016|work=Al-Monitor|author=Seyed Hossein Mousavian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117092837/https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/07/rise-iranian-moderates.html|archive-date=17 November 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> | spokesperson = Ramezan-Ali Sobhanifar<ref>{{cite news|title="جنتی" معاون کانون‌ها و "سبحانی‌فر" سخنگوی اعتدال و توسعه شدند|url=https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1396/04/06/1447334/%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%88-%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D9%81%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%AE%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%88%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%88-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%87-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%AF|access-date=12 September 2017|agency=Tasnim News Agency|date=27 June 2017|language=fa}}</ref> | secretary_general = Mohammad Bagher Nobakht<ref name="IR">{{cite web|first=Mohammad Hassan|last=Khani|url=http://www.iranreview.org/content/Iran_Spectrum/Political-Parties-in-the-Islamic-Republic-of-Iran-A-Short-Review.htm|title=Political Parties in the Islamic Republic of Iran|publisher=Iran Review|access-date=1 April 2016|date=17 July 2012}}</ref> | foundation = {{start date and age|1999|11}}<ref name="m"/> | leader1_title = Executive Secretary | leader1_name = Morteza Bank<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.criticalthreats.org/briefs/iran-news-round-up/iran-news-round-up-december-8-2015-1|title=Iran News Round Up|date=8 December 2015|access-date=7 April 2017|work=Critical Threats Project}}</ref> | leader2_title = Politburo Head | leader2_name = Mahmoud Vaezi | leader3_title = Election Head | leader3_name = Ali Jannati<ref>{{citation|url=https://iranwire.com/en/features/4543|title=Iran's Presidential Election: Who are the Candidates?|work=Iran Wire|date=13 April 2017|access-date=21 April 2017}}</ref> | dissolution = | headquarters = Tehran, Iran | ideology = Moderatism Pragmatism Idealism<ref name="auto">{{citation|url=https://www.hamshahrionline.ir/hamnews/1381/811224/world/_intep.htm|title=In the Gap between the Two Wings|language=fa|number=3005|page=Politics|date=15 March 2003|access-date=1 June 2017|work=Hamshahri}}</ref> Islamic democracy Velâyat-e Faqih<ref name="A">{{citation|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/04/rouhani-moderates-internal-rivalryy-iran-administration.html|title=Internal rivalries hinder Rouhani's reform efforts|date=8 April 2014|access-date=11 December 2016|work=Al-Monitor|author=Ali Afshari}}</ref> Technocracy '''Faction''': Institutional economics<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2014/04/rouhani-moderates-internal-rivalryy-iran-administration.html | title=Internal rivalries hinder Rouhani's reform efforts - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012 }}</ref> '''Under the presidency of Hassan Rouhani:''' Neoliberalism{{refn|<ref>https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/dangerous-iranophobia-trump-edges-towards-his-own-axis-evil-moment</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mei.edu/publications/rouhanis-neoliberal-doctrine-has-failed-iran | title=Rouhani's Neoliberal Doctrine has Failed Iran }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last1=Zaccara | first1=Luciano | last2=Mohiddin | first2=Wafa Sultana | title=Foreign Policy of Iran under President Hassan Rouhani's First Term (2013–2017) | chapter=Introduction | series=Contemporary Gulf Studies | date=2020 | pages=1–13 | doi=10.1007/978-981-15-3924-4_1 | isbn=978-981-15-3923-7 | chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-3924-4_1 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Iran Regime's Official: The Stock Market Will Blow | date=9 May 2020 | url=https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/economy/iran-regimes-official-the-stock-market-will-blow/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Dubowitz | first1=Mark | title=Hassan Rouhani, 'Moderates' and Iran's Post-Election Path | work=Wall Street Journal | date=5 March 2016 | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-WB-61768 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Neoliberal Economics Comes to Iran | date=17 October 2014 | url=https://www.counterpunch.org/2014/10/17/neoliberal-economics-comes-to-iran/ }}</ref><ref>https://dl.icds.org/pdfs/files4/7a32570282dae73370608e648729ec5b.pdf{{Dead link | date=October 2025 | fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/10/03/neoliberal-economics-the-plague-of-irans-economy/</ref>}} {{Nowrap|Moderate conservatism<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/iran-after-elections-time-re-engagement-8108 | title=Iran after the elections: Time for re-engagement }}</ref>}} Economic liberalism<ref>{{cite web | title=Iran's economic reforms in retreat | url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/irans-economic-reforms-in-retreat/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Rouhani: Management of capital market; key to stability, development, prosperity | url=https://iranpress.com/content/23839/rouhani-management-capital-market-key-stability-development-prosperity }}</ref> Neo-Keynesianism{{refn|<ref name="auto2">[https://revista.unitins.br/index.php/humanidadeseinovacao/article/view/2773/1451 Discourse analysis of the foundations of development in the government of Hassan Rou]</ref><ref>https://news.antiwar.com/2019/11/21/irans-president-rouhani-accused-of-secret-talks-with-israel/</ref><ref>https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iranian-press-review-rouhani-accused-holding-secret-talks-israel#:~:text=In%20a%20speech%20at%20Ardebil,to%20be%20presented%20in%20parliament.</ref><ref>https://revista.unitins.br/index.php/humanidadeseinovacao/article/view/2773#:~:text=Resumo,were%20collected%20using%20library%20checking.</ref>}} Populism<ref>{{cite web | title=Hassan Rouhani's economic legacy may be his key to winning a second term | date=19 May 2017 | url=https://theconversation.com/hassan-rouhanis-economic-legacy-may-be-his-key-to-winning-a-second-term-77408 }}</ref> Reformism<ref>{{cite web | title=Iran's Reform Camp is in Crisis | date=11 January 2019 | url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/iransource/iran-s-reform-camp-is-in-crisis/ }}</ref> Pro–foreign investment<ref name="auto2"/> | seats1_title = Government | seats1 = {{Infobox political party/seats|1|33|hex=#984B9E}} | seats2_title = Parliament | seats2 = {{Infobox political party/seats|1|290|hex=#984B9E}} | affiliation1_title = Alliance | affiliation1 = {{plainlist| *Popular Coalition of Reforms (2008) *List of Hope (2016) *Friends of Hashemi (2020) *Voice of the Nation (2024) }} | website = {{url|https://www.hezbet.ir}} | country = Iran }} '''Moderation and Development Party''' ({{langx|fa|حزب اعتدال و توسعه|Hezb-e E'tedāl va Towse'eh}}) is a political party in Iran. It is a pragmatic-centrist political party which held its first congress in 2002.<ref name="Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty">{{cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1342675.html|title=Iran Report|date=16 February 2004|volume=7|number=7|work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|access-date=10 March 2017}}</ref>

==Platform== The party is part of the faction called "modernist right", "moderate reformists" and "technocrats" that draws from upper-level bureaucrats, industrialists and managers.<ref name="MW">{{cite book|author1=Rabasa, Angel |author2=Waxman, Matthew |author3=Larson, Eric V. |author4=Marcum, Cheryl Y.|title=The Muslim World After 9/11|date=2004|publisher=Rand Corporation|page=221|isbn=9780833037558}}</ref> It deals with a platform on modernization and economic growth rather than social justice, along with the Executives of Construction Party and the Islamic Labour Party.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Mohseni, Payam|editor1=Brumberg, Daniel |editor2=Farhi, Farideh |title=Power and Change in Iran: Politics of Contention and Conciliation|chapter=Factionalism, Privatization, and the Political economy of regime transformation|date=2016|publisher=Indiana University Press|series=Indiana Series in Middle East Studies|page=44}}</ref> The party has been allied with Popular Coalition of Reforms<ref name="BBC"/> and Pervasive Coalition of Reformists<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-election-parliament-factbox-idUSKCN0VR0QI|title= Factbox: Parties and politics in Iran's parliamentary election|date=18 February 2016|website=Reuters|access-date=27 February 2017|author=Parisa Hafezi|editor=Dominic Evans}}</ref> in parliamentary elections and has had good relations with both Mohammad Khatami’s reform program and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.<ref name="IR"/> In April 2017, the party joined the supreme policymaking council of reformists.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/412498/Moderation-party-joins-reformist-policy-making-council|title=Moderation party joins reformist policy-making council|work=Tehran Times|date=10 April 2017|access-date=14 April 2017}}</ref>

Some sources branded them as part of the conservative camp in the 2000s<ref>{{cite journal|title=Elections and Governmental Structure in Iran: Reform Lurks Under the Flaws|url=https://www.brown.edu/initiatives/journal-world-affairs/sites/brown.edu.initiatives.journal-world-affairs/files/private/articles/11.1_Beeman.pdf|first=William O.|last=Beeman|journal=Brown Journal of World Affairs|volume=XI|issue=1|date=Summer 2004|pages=55–67}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3441601.stm|title=How Iran votes|date=3 February 2004|work=BBC World|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=The Eighth Majles Elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran: A Division in Conservative Ranks and the Politics of Moderation|author=Kaveh-Cyrus Sanandaji|journal=Iranian Studies|volume=42|number=4|publisher=Routledge|year=2009|pages=621–648|doi=10.1080/00210860903106345|s2cid=153397356}}</ref> or reformists under the leadership of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Transformation of the Iranian political system: Towards a new model?|url=https://www.sssup.it/UploadDocs/4568_11__Iranian_Political_System_Towards_a_New_Model_Middle_East_Review_of_International_Affairs_10.pdf|first=Bulent |last=Aras|journal=Middle East Review of International Affairs|volume=5|number=3|date=September 2001}}</ref> In 2003, the party's spokesperson wrote in ''Hamshahri'', a major Iranian newspaper, that the party regards itself among "true reformists", who are idealists, considering "social realities" interpreted with the "principle of moderation".<ref name="auto"/>

According to Ali Afshari, the party prioritizes economic expansion and follows free market policies, however a minority faction represented by members, such as Bagher Nobakht, advocate institutionalized economy and maintain that the government should interfere to regulate markets to a limited extent.<ref name="A"/> They support limited political and cultural transformations, and believe political activism should only be within the frameworks of the constitution. The party also embraces ''Velâyat-e Faqih''.<ref name="A"/>

==Presidential candidates== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%;" ! Year ! Candidate |- |2001||Mohammad Khatami |- |2005||Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani<ref>{{citation|url=https://en.mehrnews.com/news/29889/Moderation-and-Development-Party-backs-Rowhani-for-president|title=Moderation and Development Party backs Rowhani for president|date=14 September 2008|access-date=24 November 2016|work=Mehr News Agency}}</ref> |- |2009||Mir-Hossein Mousavi<ref>{{citation|url=https://en.mehrnews.com/news/34017/Party-leader-wants-debates-among-candidates-representatives|title=Party leader wants debates among candidates' representatives|date=30 May 2009|access-date=24 November 2016|work=Mehr News Agency}}</ref> |- |2013||Hassan Rouhani<ref name="m"/> |- |2017||Hassan Rouhani<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/410018/Moderation-and-Development-Party-to-back-Rouhani|title=Moderation and Development Party to back Rouhani|work=Tehran Times|date=14 January 2017|access-date=14 January 2017}}</ref> |- |2024 |Masoud Pezeshkian<ref>{{Cite web |last=Behnegarsoft.com |date=2024-06-10 |title=حزب اعتدال و توسعه - بیانیه انتخاباتی حزب اعتدال و توسعه در حمایت از دکتر مسعود پزشکیان ، نامزد انتخابات ریاست جمهوری 1403 |url=https://www.hezbet.ir/fa/doc/news/227/%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D8%AD%D8%B2%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%87-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D8%AF%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF-%D9%BE%D8%B2%D8%B4%DA%A9%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B2%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1%DB%8C-1403 |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=حزب اعتدال و توسعه |language=fa}}</ref> |}

==Members== === Current officeholders === {{expand list|date=August 2016}} ;Cabinet * Hassan Rouhani, President of Iran * Mahmoud Vaezi, Chief of Staff * Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, Vice President for Strategy * Masoud Soltanifar, Minister of Sports ;Parliament * Bahram Parsaei (Shiraz) * Zahra Saei (Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr) * Ali Nobakht (Tehran, Rey, Shemiranat and Eslamshahr) * Ramezanali Sobhanifar (Sabzevar, Joghatai and Joveyn) * Hadi Bahadori (Urmia) * Sakineh Almasi (Kangan, Jam, Dayyer and Asaluyeh) * Rasoul Khezri (Piranshahr and Sardasht) * Shadmehr Kazemzadeh (Dehloran, Darreshahr and Abdanan)

==See also== * List of Islamic political parties

==References== {{Reflist|2}} {{Iranian political parties}}

Category:Centrism in Iran Category:Reformist political groups in Iran Category:Political parties established in 1999 Category:1999 establishments in Iran Category:Centrist parties in Iran