Toutounchian, Iraj

Professor of Economics, Al-Zahra University; Tehran, Iran Dr. Iraj Toutounchian is a Professor of Economics at Az-Zahra University, Tehran, Iran. He received his Ph.D. Degree from Texas A&M University with distinction. He holds B.A. degree in Business, an M.BA, and an M.S. in Economics. He taught three years both at Texas A&M University and at Appalachian State University, NC. He has served as Vice-Minister for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance (Iran) and also was later adviser to the Minister of the same ministry. Toutounchian’s latest book, “Comparative Money and Banking in Capitalistic and Islamic Systems,” received The Best Economic Book of the Year award in 2001 in Iran. He chaired the Department of Social Sciences and Economics at Az-Zahra University, where he was elected Distinguished Research Scholar for three consecutive years. He was one of the principal contributors of a committee to prepare the draft-law for Usury-Free Banking Operations, in Iran, which was enacted in 1983. Toutounchian was the first Chairman of the Iranian Association of Islamic Economics. He is the Chief-Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Economic Research (Iran).