A Glance at the Future of Planning in lran

The entire world has seen more or less dramatic changes in objectives and status of plans, as well as how plans are devised. Recent plans are more diverse when it comes to setting objectives and mainly stress the sustainability of development, rather than development per se. Modernday plans are mainly strategic and collaborative rather than technocratic. Finally, these plans are mostly non- centralized as opposed, though national, regional/provincial and local hierarchies are still maintained. Iran's planning methodology has meanwhile transformed from the eclectic to the comprehensive and recently to the strategic approach. The Third Plan also initiated important steps toward decentralization in planning. If the present trend continues, Iran's future sectorial Plans will be mostly strategic and national, while the territorial composition will be mostly provincial.