Public emergencies are focal events that present possibilities for policy changes. This study aims to explain policy insights on policy change in Iran through analyzing how the Iranian government's policy toward the long-awaited e-authentication finally changed in the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19. Due to the policy context of Iran, it uses the Multiple Stream Model, in which three streams were identified: problem, policy, and political dynamics. The paper contends that while the second stream existed prior to the pandemic, the first one had not yet been appropriately recognized by the government. Furthermore, it identifies the political stream as the third missing link for policy change. With the spread of coronavirus, these three streams converged, thus opening a window of opportunity for enacting this policy change. Two main reasons behind the emergence of this opening are identified: first, arising a new complex problem (COVID-19) that necessitated new initiatives, and second, growing public anxiety about the pandemic. Iran's desperate circumstances, which included an already severely depressed economy as the result of sanctions, were further exacerbated through the socio-economic repercussions of the pandemic. Furthermore, the growing demand from prospective traders to register for the stock exchange during the lockdown prompted officials to make a realistic decision. As a result, barriers to e-authentication were overcome and policy change happened. The paper highlights the security perspective as a necessary condition for policy change in Iran. Finally, it discusses the likelihood of permanency of the change.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19 作为政策变化的机会窗口；伊朗电子认证案例研究的见解

公共紧急事件是可能导致政策变化的焦点事件。本研究旨在通过分析在 COVID-19 爆发后伊朗政府对期待已久的电子认证的政策最终发生了怎样的变化，来解释对伊朗政策变化的政策见解。由于伊朗的政策背景，它使用多流模型，其中确定了三个流：问题、政策和政治动态。该论文认为，虽然第二个流在大流行之前就存在，但第一个流尚未得到政府的适当认可。此外，它将政治流确定为政策变化的第三个缺失环节。随着冠状病毒的传播，这三个流汇聚在一起，从而为实施这一政策变化打开了机会之窗。确定了出现这种开放背后的两个主要原因：首先，出现了一个新的复杂问题 (COVID-19)，需要采取新的举措，其次，公众对这一流行病的焦虑日益加剧。大流行病的社会经济影响进一步加剧了伊朗的绝望处境，其中包括因制裁而已经严重萧条的经济。此外，在封锁期间，潜在交易者对在证券交易所注册的需求不断增长，促使官员们做出了一个现实的决定。结果，电子认证的障碍被克服，政策发生了变化。该文件强调安全视角是伊朗政策变化的必要条件。最后，它讨论了更改永久性的可能性。