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Most revealing article....wish there was more info on the writer and data. If this is all true, then we're witnessing the breakdown and demise of the regime. Very similar to Soviet Union and E. Germany. I've been noticing this comparison myself lately.
Countries that try to remain isolationist even in part, do not fair well, and the rest of the world moves on without them. Interesting that Reza Pahlavi thinks that Iran's isolationism is a strength to the regime. Yes and no. Were it able to be totally isolated and self sufficient, yes it would be. But having some financial interests in other countries, and depending on others for economic survival, leads down the path to ruin for isolationists. It seems to be an all or nothing proposition.
The technological advances allowed into the country, have been the most important disrupters to their closed society. You can't show people what the rest of the world is enjoying, and not expect them to want it also. The "leak in the (regime's) dike" has slowly been increasing from a trickle to a torrent. The regime is at a point of having to make major decisions regarding their country, if they want to survive politically and economically. If they don't regress to an almost total isolationist country and become self sufficient, it will be the end of the regime. They will no longer have any control over the people if they make deals with more countries to become participants of the "real world". Unfortunately, as we've seen with other countries, the flood of the "real world" into a previously closed or "over-protected" society, initially has negative results sociologically. The deprivation suffered by the people creates a hunger for things previously forbidden. And opportunistic vultures descend also.
Assuming that the regime self destructs in the near future,(as it looks like it's doing) the country and it's people are in for hard times before things improve. I hope they're prepared. They may be tempted at some point to return to a more "orderly", sheltered existence. I hope they resist that temptation and remember well the past. The world can't protect them from the dark side of life, but the isolation of a fundamentalist theocracy allows in no sunlight at all.
MHO - of course.