Bonyad

Bonyads (Persian: بنیاد "Foundation") are charitable trusts in Iran that play a major role in Iran's economy. They control an estimated 20% of Iran's GDP,^[1] and are second only to the oil industry in manufacturing, trading, and real estate development in Iran.^[2] As of 2010, the largest bonyad is the Mostazafan Foundation, worth approximately $10 billion. In addition to large national bonyads like the Mostazafan Foundation, there are numerous bonyads affiliated with local clerics in "almost every" Iranian town.^[3] All are answerable only to the Supreme Leader of Iran. As of 2008, bonyads employ somewhere between 400,000^[4] and 5 million Iranians.^[5]

Technically religious charitable organizations, they have evolved into "giant private monopolies with no governmental oversight",^[6] and are now described as channeling revenues to groups supporting the Islamic Republic,^[7] while providing limited and inadequate charity to the poor.^[2] Exempt from taxes and benefiting from "huge subsidies from government," they have been called "bloated,"^[2] and "a major weakness of Iran's economy,"^[5] that siphons off production to the lucrative black market.^[2]

^ Molavi, Afshin, Soul of Iran, Norton, (2006), p.176
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Mackey, Sandra Iranians, Persia, Islam, and the soul of a nation, New York: Dutton, c1996 (p.370)
^ Cite error: The named reference Klebnikov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Abrahamian, Ervand, History of Modern Iran, Columbia University Press, 2008, p.178
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Katzman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Saeidi, Ali A. (29 January 2009). "Iranian Para-governmental Organizations (bonyads)". MEI.edu. Middle East Institute. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
^ Cite error: The named reference roy-139 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] Molavi, Afshin, Soul of Iran, Norton, (2006), p.176

[Mackey-370-2] Mackey, Sandra Iranians, Persia, Islam, and the soul of a nation, New York: Dutton, c1996 (p.370)

[Klebnikov-3] Cite error: The named reference Klebnikov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[4] Abrahamian, Ervand, History of Modern Iran, Columbia University Press, 2008, p.178

[Katzman-5] Cite error: The named reference Katzman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Saeidi-2009-6] Saeidi, Ali A. (29 January 2009). "Iranian Para-governmental Organizations (bonyads)". MEI.edu. Middle East Institute. Retrieved 25 October 2023.

[roy-139-7] Cite error: The named reference roy-139 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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