Engines of Social Justice, Sustainable Development, and Environmental Protection

TEHRAN (Iran News) Bahon Abdollahii, President of the Iran Chamber of Cooperatives and member of the Board of Directors of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), delivered the keynote address. He stressed that cooperatives are not merely an economic model but a “philosophy of action” based on fairness, solidarity, and shared prosperity.

“We can create wealth without crushing others, grow without destructive competition, and support the well-being of our members—the people—without relying on rent-seeking or harming the national economy,” Abdollahii said.

The conference was attended by Dr. Mehrdad Meidari, Minister of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare; Dr. Mohammad Ali Nouri, Minister of Agriculture Jihad; Dr. Agha Mohammadi, Head of the Economic Group in the Supreme Leader’s Office; Dr. Ariel Guarco, President of the ICA; Dr. Hosseini, Head of the Economic Commission of Parliament; Dr. Babaei Karnameh, Head of the Parliament’s Social Commission; representatives of the United Nations; and ambassadors from various countries.

Abdollahii emphasized that cooperatives share success collectively and operate as “businesses with a conscience.” He underlined their potential as engines of social justice, economic equity, and sustainable development.

He offered examples: farmers selling their products directly through cooperatives, rural women creating handicraft cooperatives, and housing cooperatives providing secure homes. “These are not just transactions or construction projects,” he said, “but acts of dignity, independence, and human flourishing.”

According to ICA data, more than 3 million cooperatives worldwide serve 1.2 billion members and have generated over 280 million jobs. The 300 largest cooperatives reported a combined turnover of $2.6 trillion in 2024, with most of them based in Western economies.

In Iran, Abdollahii noted, there are more than 105,000 active cooperatives across agriculture, services, and industry, accounting for about 9 percent of national employment. They are organized under over 500 provincial and national unions, offering major potential to reduce government dominance in economic sectors.

Despite their strengths, cooperatives face significant challenges, including competition with state monopolies and large private corporations. Abdollahii called for reduced government interference in cooperative management, stronger parliamentary oversight, and modernization of cooperative governance through new managerial knowledge and global best practices.

He also highlighted Iran’s efforts to integrate cooperatives into international frameworks such as Eurasia, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, while deepening ties through ICA.

Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has passed progressive legislation to support the cooperative sector, including the Cooperative Sector Law, the Law on Implementing Article 44 of the Constitution, and the Law on Establishing Development Cooperatives. Abdullahii described this legal foundation as “rare, if not unique, in the world.”

The conference also showcased research contributions: over 220 academic papers were submitted, with 80 accepted for presentation. These findings, compiled into a bilingual book in Persian and English, underline the potential of cooperatives in Iran’s national development planning.

Abdollahii concluded by honoring the late President Ebrahim Raisi, under whose leadership the first edition of the conference was inaugurated. He thanked the Ministry of Cooperatives, ICA, Parliament commissions, the UN office in Tehran, and foreign participants for their support.

“We hope that conferences like this will enhance the role of people’s participation in solving economic challenges and strengthen the global presence of Iranian cooperatives,” he said.