Hassan Rouhani came to power, this plan had not been implemented and only around 700
thousand housing units had been built. This housing project was ill-planned as houses were built
outside of the main urban areas with lack of access to transportation and basic necessities. In
2019, Hassan Rouhani once again vowed to implement this housing initiative, yet no major
progress has been reported in the months since and low-income families are still struggling to
find affordable and adequate housing in the midst of heavy sanctions by the United States, which
have devalued the Rial greatly.3 Reports indicate that Iranian low-income families still struggle
to find housing opportunities that provide the most basic human necessities like sanitation,
running water and heat.4
Ethnic minority-rich regions in Iran have historically experienced low levels of development due
to neglect from the central government in Tehran. In 2015, Sistan and Balouchistan reported
63% of its urban and 76% of its rural population as living under the poverty line. Due to the
region’s rich oil reserves the government has invested large sums of capital into the exploitation
of its resources and such developments have not benefited the Balouch people, which comprise
the majority of the population in the region.5
In Khuzestan, a region which in 2015 had 32% of its urban and 26% of its rural population living
under the poverty line, a high number of Ahwazi Arabs live in informal settlements due to
displacement. These settlements are known for the inexistence of the most basic living
conditions, such as a functioning sewage system, electricity, medical facilities and even schools.6
Due to the precarious situation and low economic development in ethnic minority rich regions,
members of ethnic groups such as Balouch, Arabs and Kurds have limited access to education.
School facilities are often inadequate to host children due to the various safety and health risks
associated with their use.7 Additionally, there is a scarcity of schools in these regions forcing
students to use transportation to go to school, which not everyone can afford.8 Official state
3
Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/iranians-struggle-afford-housing-prices-soar-190730150209889.html
Ibid
5
Tasnim News, ‘Chabahar national development projects crippled/63% of Chabahar’s population are marginalized (Persian),’ 19
December 2016. From https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rights-Denied-Violations-against-ethnic-andreligious-minorities-in-Iran.pdf
6
Minority Rights Group, https://minorityrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rights-Denied-Violations-against-ethnic-andreligious-minorities-in-Iran.pdf
7
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), Alternative Report Submitted to the UN Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights for the Consideration of the Second Report of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the 49th PreSessional Working Group,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CESCR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CESCR_NGO_IRN_14268_E.pdf p. 14.
8
Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), Alternative Report Submitted to the UN Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights for the Consideration of the Second Report of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the 49th PreSessional Working Group,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CESCR/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CESCR_NGO_IRN_14268_E.pdf p. 17.
4
2