Behman Ahmadi Amoui, an economics graduate, journalist, and former political prisoner. Mr. Amoui has a background of working with newspapers such as Jame’e, Sobh Emrooz, Tous, Norouz, Shargh, and Sarmayeh, and has published books such as “Political Economy of the Islamic Republic” and “How the Men of the Islamic Republic Became Technocrats”.

Behnam Ahmadi Amoui has also recently collaborated on a research project in Iran about street vendors; for this reason, we approached him. Mr. Amoui, in an interview with Khatt-e-Solh, while mentioning that there are currently 300,000 to 500,000 street vendors and sellers across the country, says: “Until 10 or 15 years ago, those who turned to street vending were often people who chose it as their second or third job, but now 30% of street vendors have it as their primary job, which shows the depth and peak of the tragedy in the economic sector and the people’s inability to earn income through official means.”

He believes that both street vendors and shop owners are in a rightful position, but due to their lack of proper perspective, they got into conflict with each other. While their conflict and criticism should be directed towards the government for their inability to manage the economy and create new job opportunities.

Dear Mr. Amooei, in your opinion, what are the factors that lead to the emergence of street vending and what are the needs that have caused it to develop and expand?

Based on a recent research conducted with several experts and specialists in this field, it can be said that street vending is a form of people’s reaction to the economic instability and a popular solution for employment; in situations where entrepreneurs, investors, and the government are unable to create jobs.

We can say that in the past five to six years, our economy has not had the capacity to create employment. In the last two years of Ahmadinejad’s government, there was negative economic growth, which means that even some people lost their jobs. In the past two to three years, during Mr. Rouhani’s government, officials have repeatedly announced that we are breaking economic records. However, when the economy is breaking records, it almost reduces the ability to generate and produce new jobs to zero. Therefore, when you are faced with five consecutive years of conditions where your economy does not have the ability to create new job opportunities at a national level, pressure is put on the people, especially the middle and lower classes. As a result, the first groups to move in this direction are shopkeepers and distribution units that turn to jobs such as transportation, street vending, and recently even street performances. Based on this, the most important factor is the inefficiency of the economic structure.

According to your research results or other studies, is it possible to estimate the number of street vendors?

Experts who have researched in this field have estimated that there are between 300,000 to 500,000 street vendors and sellers across the country who have started working with a capital of less than two million tomans. Statistics also indicate that about 80% of these individuals are heads of households.

It seems that in recent months, there has been an increase in conflict and tension between shopkeepers and street vendors, while it could be argued that we have not witnessed such conflicts at this level before; what is the reason for this?

The reason, as I mentioned, is the economy’s inability to create new job opportunities for at least five years. As a result of this inability, society suddenly faced a massive influx of people who turned to peddling. Until 10 or 15 years ago, those who resorted to peddling were often individuals who chose it as their second or third job. However, currently, 30% of the population of 300 to 500 thousand peddlers have peddling as their primary job, indicating the depth and peak of the economic disaster and people’s inability to earn income through formal means.

Before this time period, businesses or distribution units were thriving and it was estimated that for every 15 to 20 Iranians, there was one business unit; meaning that almost every family had their own store. After that, people turned towards transportation. Later on, when expenses increased, they turned towards peddling. Although some of this peddling is seasonal and for occasions such as the beginning of schools, New Year, and similar events, and during these times we see more peddlers.

In fact, due to the increase in the number of street vendors, especially those who make a living from street vending, the interests of shop owners have been compromised; shop owners who sell the same goods but at higher prices. Almost all Iranians encounter street vendors in their daily comings and goings and buy from them. It has been observed many times that the quality of goods sold by street vendors is not significantly different from the quality of the same goods in shops, but shop owners have a more formal job and have to pay taxes and other expenses such as municipal fees, while street vendors do not. Both of them have a legitimate position; both the street vendor and the shop owner, but because they do not have the right perspective, they end up in conflict with each other, while their conflict and criticism should be directed towards the government for their inability to manage the economy and create new job opportunities.

Many of these street vendors are retirees, housewives, educated youth, and young people who lack capital and work experience. They are in need of the least social support and have turned to street vending without the ability to manage their own livelihoods and those of their families. These individuals, who are considered marginalized by society, have the right to life and simply want to continue their lives with a minimum income. On the other hand, shopkeepers, due to their trade unions and associations, have more bargaining power and can naturally persuade municipal and even law enforcement authorities to provide more order, and because of this bargaining power, they can pull them towards their own interests, and this conflict ultimately leads to street vendors and sellers suffering losses and facing consequences.

Keep in mind that municipalities in recent years have implemented projects such as formalizing informal businesses or designating areas for street vendors, in an effort to organize them. However, due to the lack of proper planning and the possibility that the designated areas may not be suitable for these individuals, they are forced to continue working on the streets. This has caused conflicts between shop owners and street vendors, as well as between municipal officials and street vendors.

In many countries, a platform for dialogue and negotiation is created to resolve such conflicts and reach an agreement that ensures the interests of both parties. How achievable is such a vision in our country and which institution can be responsible for creating such an agreement?

Negotiation occurs when you, as a vendor, have a guild or union. Currently, no institution, including the municipality, law enforcement, or various guilds of shopkeepers, recognizes vendors, and they do not have a union themselves. There are also no individuals around them who want to help them form a union. Furthermore, politically and socially, the creation of a union is faced with obstacles and problems. As a result, vendors are a scattered group with common interests, but since they do not have a representative, there is no one to defend their rights. With these circumstances, it does not seem that such a predictable outlook is possible.

In this regard, it may only be a matter of media coverage and the fact that existing conflicts become news, that can inform authorities of the existence of intermediaries so that they can consider them in this matter. Otherwise, for negotiations, there must be someone who negotiates on your behalf, but no one from their side is willing to sit at the negotiating table and consider their interests and strive to secure them during negotiations.

Of course, it must be said that the issue of street vending exists with intensity and weakness in all parts of the world, and it is likely that in other countries, a group or organization represents these individuals, or these individuals are members of a union or association. However, such a thing does not exist in Iran.

Officials believe that the plan to collect street vendors can establish urban discipline in important areas of Tehran. What is your opinion on this matter?

The possibility of collecting [waste] does not exist, and if no thought is given to the economy of our country to provide the ability to create new, secure and sustainable job opportunities, it is possible that the number of 300 to 500 thousand people that I mentioned may increase. If we consider the average household size in Iran to be 4 people, close to one and a half to two million people make a living through street vending. It is impossible to eliminate and ignore this number of individuals. Of course, it may be possible to bring order, but the municipalities have shown that they are incapable in this regard and cannot carry out such work, and the projects they implement in this area always face failure.

Some experts believe that municipalities – at least in Tehran – have policies to attract commercial and market capital and have given them a major share of the urban space, neglecting the smallest possible space not only for street vendors but also for people’s movement. Therefore, we are constantly in conflict between people’s movement and street vendors sitting on the side of the street; as a result, these individuals are confronted under the pretext of blocking the passage. Based on this policy, Tehran is gradually moving towards a state where there is no public space left for movement and all spaces are allocated to streets or commercial and administrative institutions. With this in mind, the majority of policies are in favor of this group and not only have they neglected the deprived section of society, but also the people who use this public space have been ignored.

Dear Mr. Amouei, what do you know about the consequences of dealing with and gathering street vendors, and what challenges do these plans face?

This action definitely increases social abnormalities. As I mentioned, street vending used to be considered as a second or third job in the past 10-15 years, but now it has become the main job, which shows the vulnerability of Iranian households. If you take this job away from street vendors, naturally they will have to turn to even lower and more informal jobs. As a result, it brings about negative consequences in social, economic, and even political aspects, which is undeniable. Just take a look at this trend again; people’s jobs have shifted from shopkeeping to driving, and then to street vending and begging, and these types of jobs have become their main source of income. This trend clearly shows the decline in living standards for a part of Iranian society. On the other hand, it is said that close to 30-40% (although statistics vary) of the Iranian population is below the poverty line or at risk of poverty. If economic pressure increases or we use individual methods to

In your opinion, what could be the right solution – not necessarily the simplest solution that is usually used – in this regard?

The only solution is to empower the country’s macro and national economy, because if this empowerment takes place, the number of people entering the ranks of street vendors will decrease, and many of those who are currently street vendors will move towards formal jobs. The focus should be on increasing the capacity to produce jobs in the country. We need to create at least one million jobs annually. An economy that creates between fifty thousand to two hundred thousand jobs per year is not an economy, and in today’s world, we cannot even talk about it. These numbers indicate the complete incapacity of that economy. If you cannot do this, you must expect the number of street vendors to increase day by day; now in some seasons more and in some seasons less, or in some cities more and in other cities less, but ignoring it is not an option.

Thank you for giving us your time.