Explaining the Change in Gasoline Pricing in Iran Based on the Narrative Policy Framework

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran

2 Faculty of Islamic Education and Management, Imam Sadeghi University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

Gasoline pricing in Iran has long been a site of conflicting policy narratives, rendering its transformation irreducible to merely technical or economic explanations. This study, grounded in the Narrative Policy Framework, investigates the question: “Which policy narratives shaped policymakers’ mindsets during the adoption of two contradictory laws in 2004 & 2005, and how did these narratives steer policy change?” Employing a qualitative approach and inductive thematic analysis, the research analyzes parliamentary debates from the Sixth and Seventh Islamic Consultative Assemblies. The findings reveal that in the Sixth Parliament, the dominant narrative framed gasoline as an intergenerational asset with market-based pricing, whereas in the Seventh Parliament, a new narrative emerged emphasizing administrative price control to protect public welfare. This narrative shift not only redefined the logic of pricing but also reshaped the meaning of justice and the role of the state in energy policy. The study demonstrates that narrative analysis provides a powerful lens for explaining why policy change occurs.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Iranian Journal of Public Policy

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 18 November 2025

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics