Catching up during the international sanctions against Iran; The case of Radio-pharmaceuticals

This paper aims to address the different impacts of the factor of international collaboration (orrather, the lack thereof) on the dual aspects of technological and market catching up. The casestudy is radio-pharmaceutical industry in Iran during the international sanctions (2000-2013) andthe aftermath. The theoretical foundation relies on a hybrid framework of innovation systemsapproach and global value chain analysis. Drawing on the first pillar, it evaluates the structural andfunctional analysis of the radiopharmaceutical innovation system which is now technologically selfreliantto meet the domestic needs. The study of global value chain set the backdrop to evaluateIranian status for market-entry in the region.The paper concludes that the international sanctions have worked as inducers to reach to thetechnological catching –up while blocking its catching up process to entry into the regional market.The paper offers some suggestion for policy advice at the end.

Keywords:

Global Value Chain , Technological Innovation System , Iran , Radio pharmaceuticals , JCPOA , functional upgrading