GDP 1987-2017 Saudi Arabia vs Iran

[Jungibaaz]

It's ridiculous to compare a nation that has been looked after very well by the international community, to one that has been sanctioned again and again, and threatened with war. If the type of sanctions applied on Iran were applied on KSA at the time, their GDP might even fall. Having said that, both should look to diversify, I've seen first hand attempts by KSA to do just that, and it'll be good for them in the future.

 

[Cthulhu]

Can you show an oil seller country which stands as a complete strong country? Just an exception Russia, neglect it, cause it holds the legacy of soviets.
Oil on it's own brings corruption and inaction. I hate oil selling
The irony all of EU and other advanced countries even USA with huge oil reserves, are importing oil. Jahangiri and Rouhani the lazy idiots, the oil dealer haram khors, have developed an economy which has no difference from Shah's one. Remember kersent and Zanganeh
@KediKesenFare had a fair quote, read his quote

Look nobody is saying that an oil seller country stands as a complete strong country, I strong economy is an economy that can sell it's products in the global market, which require the products to be have high quality and be export-oriented. If you want to have a high quality product, you should spend money on R&D sectors so they can develop the means and the technology for producing high quality goods.So far, Our universities are preparing some of the finest graduates in the world (See this video ☟), but the lack of support and some of our stupid domestic policies are causing them to flee the country.

And when it comes to our oil fields, those that have been discovered so far are shared fields with our neighbors, If we don't extract oil from them, our neighbors are going to extract our share and sell it and spend the money on their infrastructures. So here's what we have to do, we have to extract oil only from our shared fields and spend it's money on our infrastructures and R&D sectors so we can produce high quality products and sell them in the global market and reduce our dependence on oil.
Also it would be very helpful if our conservatives stop this game of blame. How President Rouhani and Vice President Jahangiri that are only in power for last 4 years are responsible for 40 years of mismanagement? Some of our conservatives are even blame our today's economic situation on Shah. As of now mullahs have ruled Iran longer than the Shah did. 8 years of war was also a long time ago and had they done things correctly and not put corrupt ignorant religious folk to do the job of educated folk things may have been not so difficult even during the war. Iran could have been a powerful economy had these mullahs not been there to ruin our country.

Do Mullahs believe in socialism? What a disaster that was all around the world.

They believe in "Islamic Economy" which quite frankly, nobody knows what it is. It's a mixture of Capitalism, Socialism and a little bit of Communism.

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

Iran democracy is a joke, no offence. Mullahs in power pick which can run for president, making whole process kind of pointless. No freedom of media at all. And now they have backed down on nuclear program which failed, little too late? Iran could easily have lifted it self up from 3rd world status by keeping good relations with rest of the world.

A shame really, we could have been talking about $2 trillion economy now with all that oil/gas reserves and 80 million population.

 

[mohd497]

No, I haven't visited Iran it's true, but I have been to SOME gulf states(Qatar/UAE,K Kuwait and Bahrain) and their local people do live a very good life , which isn't surprising giving they have among the highest living standards in the entire muslim world, reason they attract so much foreign labourers from south Asia(India,Pakistan,Bengladesh) , Africa, and middle East etc
Dude you don't see people from Qatar, UAE/Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Oman, etc fleeing to the West to seek a better life, doing menial jobs or for asylum like you see people from Iran, Afghanistan,Pakistan, Bengladesh, Iraq, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Egypt, etc.
Iran is one of the country(peaceful one without war) with the Highest number of asylum seekers/immigrants in the West despite having no ongoing war, ask yourself why?

This is a totally different debate. Yes, asylum seekers from iran is the most. I think it is due to tough sanctions, less FDI, religious rule. Meaning more and more people leaving the country. It happens when a country is cut off from the world.

Iran is dominated by national companies. Who (in my analysis i dont live in iran) pay iranians according to local trend which is by far less then global standards. Just imagine very less foreign companies, meaning no KFC, standard chartered, pepsi, intel, dell. There is no competition there. This also produces less jobs for 90 million population. I think JCPOA can change that a bit.

But Hey, even European migrate to US for better life,job.
Some US citizen also migrate to south korea for jobs.


As for Qatar, UAE, Kuwait they are more open to foreign investments. More jobs and more pay. But this doesn't mean they are not migrating, there are almost 5 million arabs in Europe alone. I think you have met with really rich arabs. Did you ask what they do for living? Are they engineers? Doctors? mechanics?

What is arab population in Qatar, UAE?

Being rich vs producing products are two different things.

First one live off with oil. Import everything else. Government provide huge incentives to small arab population in those countries.
Second one make most of the products locally. Less government incentives, less income and jobs right now.

If oil become irrelevant, second one have more chances of survival.

 

[hydrabadi_arab]

If oil become irrelevant, second one have more chances of survival.

Oil will not become irrelevant overnight, tech isn't there yet. Saudi Arabia can prepare it self for 2050 better then Iran ever could.

 

[mohd497]

The "poor" people that exists in GCC would be considered rich in Iran. A simple fact.

Also don't make me laugh about that useless "documentary" which was already rebuffed ages ago. 100's of Western expats and non-Western expats based in KSA, let alone locals, already made numerous videos on Youtube and elsewhere in the media to disprove the nonsense.

Read post 4 and the hard cold facts posted therein. It's very simple.

KSA has a much better trade balance than Iran. Not even close, lol.

Lastly KSA has 35 industrial cities and dozens are in the process of being built. I don't know any regional country that has that. You don't have a clue about the industrial base in KSA. Everything that Iran "produces" KSA does as well and even more.

Just a small glimpse.

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/made-in-ksa.475488/page-8

Also don't act like the vast majority of your income does not derive from oil and gas which it does.

Secondly in your country there are over 10 million illiterates. People who cannot read or write their own names. The average GDP per capita (nominal) of your citizens is the same as war-torn Iraq. Your HDI index is nowhere near that of KSA let alone the GCC either.

In short stop making a fool out of yourself. Lastly you have zero "independence" and your Mullah's agreeing to stopping your nuclear program is a clear confirmation of that as is your begging of ending the sanctions. Your country, at any given opportunity, is jumping at buying Western products. Most recently that several billion big deal with Boeing. The GCC has a healthy relationship (political, in terms of trade etc.) with both the Arab and Muslim world (expect for your isolated, sanctioned and Wilyat al-Faqih ruled North Korea of the Middle East), West, East and developing countries in Africa and Latin America. Using your logic you are a puppet of Russia. The same "master" that had/have military bases in your country and uses them and does all the work for you in Syria. So much for your "independence". Aside from the usual photoshop and reverse engineered ancient Soviet era junk and North Korean junk and claiming it as "indigenous".

Meanwhile while I was writing this posts 1000's upon 1000's of your compatriots are pretending to be Syrians and Iraqis in order to seek asylum in the West. Zero from the GCC on the other hand. Yeah, we are the ones that have to look towards Iran as an example. Great joke but typical of PDF.



The point is that this fake resistance gives him an ability to impress uneducated simpletons on forums such as PDF that will buy all the nonsense that his likes are spreading. That's more or less the only thing it does. And maybe another invasion by a foreign country (countries) some time in the near future.



10.000's upon 10.000's of Iranian refugees (political, economic etc.) trying to get into Europe. That's so, so shocking. I even met a few of those likes pretending to be Syrians and Iraqis in Western Europe (train stations). Too bad that Arabs in Europe can disprove their lies. it is very typical for them to pretend to be Christians btw in order to get asylum. This is very famous. Something they share with their Afghan neighbors.

Another "fun" and "curious" fact, why is it that the second largest Iranian diaspora in the world after the one in the US, is found in next door GCC?

I am not iranian. It is true you are rich! Congrats! My visit to iran i saw only iranian made products consumed by iranians. My visit to saudi i saw western/ chinese products comsumed by ex pates. what is even the ratio of ex pats living there vs arabs?

Oil will not become irrelevant overnight, tech isn't there yet. Saudi Arabia can prepare it self for 2050 better then Iran ever could.

It is happening right now as we talk. there is an oil glut. World is moving towards renewable energy.

 

[mike2000 is back]

It's ridiculous to compare a nation that has been looked after very well by the international community

What do you mean by "looked well after by the international community"(which I guess you mean the West)?
You think western countries invest in KSA/Gulf states for charity or because we live them? Lol it's simply business bro. If there's an enabling environment which encourages foreign investors to invest and guarantees a high ROI the investors will flock in, Its the government and leaders of that country that have to set up that good investment climate and ease of doing business to attract investors . It's just like western and neighbouring Asain countries have been investing heavily in China as well after the country opened up and set up Free trade industrial areas to attract foriegn investors. We don't invest in China for charity or out of love. No investor does that. Simply business and looking for opportunities. So I don't really understand what you meant by " a country that have been looked after very well by the international community"

 

[Muhammed45]

ook nobody is saying that an oil seller country stands as a complete strong country, I strong economy is an economy that can sell it's products in the global market, which require the products to be have high quality and be export-oriented. If you want to have a high quality product, you should spend money on R&D sectors so they can develop the means and the technology for producing high quality goods.So far, Our universities are preparing some of the finest graduates in the world (See this video ☟), but the lack of support and some of our stupid domestic policies are causing them to flee the country.

Indeed, we could have a good economy if these dealers didn't take some shares from the oil export. Jahangiri and Rouhani, yeah Rouhani was Hashemi rafi's puppet, look at his cabinet, all of his ministers and his vice president are the remaining shits of rafi. These goons are proud of rising the export of oil to 2.5 mil bpd !!! They are proud of selling oil, don't deny it please. We have good universities, good and hard working students but i ask you, who gives a single shit about them?!!! When it is about our mechanic engineers and students, the dealers knocked Peugeot-Renault's doors and said to our own scientists ::: Go f*** yourselves, we don't need you. Tell me how can our scientists grow in such a hard condition? While no one wants them. When it was about our chemical engineers, these idiots went for their illegal share with Total and shell ,two companies which sold us out during the sanctions. Rouhani's government lowered the military budget to the lowest level after almost 10 years even lower than Khatami's government. Why?
Great civil technologies are mostly derived from military technologies, this is a well known fact. We cannot have a good civilized community without caring about military technologies. This government retired 80% of space agency's staff. Guess where they are?!!! I won't say because it is a great shame for us. But i don't blame those scientists, they were jobless when Rouhani came on the job, the irony!!! They were asked to leave because their technological achievements bothered Obama. How can you be proud of such idiots?

And when it comes to our oil fields, those that have been discovered so far are shared fields with our neighbors, If we don't extract oil from them, our neighbors are going to extract our share and sell it and spend the money on their infrastructures.

Look to this piece of your own comment!!! What is your suggestion?
All of our neighbors have two situations, troubled brothers like Iraqis that cannot wait and they have to make agreement with foreign companies, actually they have no way other than giving a big share to foreign companies coz they are fighting terrorism inside their own country. They are at war, no time to train the required engineers. Second kind of the neighbors are our foes like Qatar which shares gas fields with us. We must be in hurry in those regions. I say, let's trust our own scientists and give them a chance to manage our oil-gas fields without needing foreign aids. In that case we can use the extracted oil for your so called export oriented fukin economy. But the same lazy haram khor dealers will not let our scientists to have this chance. They have their share of underselling oil and gas. And fuk, i have question from you, why did we kicked shah out of our country? Other than being independent from colonialists or we were the biggest stupids ever existed? Shah was an stooge but a valuable stooge for western colonialists, he could bargain with foreign companies and choose the best ones for cooperation, meanwhile he couldn't be independent from them because we had no intelligent labors in that time. He had to make deals with them and give them special points but nowadays we are not forced to do it. We have engineers, a people full of love to their motherland. However they fooled people in the recent elections so easily. And fuk we must wait until the cancer of Rouhani and his ministers are fuking our country, selling our valuable resources for their own illegal shares.

As of now mullahs have ruled Iran longer than the Shah did. 8 years of war was also a long time ago and had they done things correctly and not put corrupt ignorant religious folk to do the job of educated folk things may have been not so difficult even during the war. Iran could have been a powerful economy had these mullahs not been there to ruin our country.

Who is that fukin mullah? who fuked our economy?
Tell me the technological difference between these vehicles :

You cannot find R&D in our country unless you look at military industries. And tell me why should these dealers follow R&D while they can sell their rubbish in our country without having a serious competitor?
Our leader managed the military industries, asked them to get independent fromforeign countries and now we are capable of developing satellite carrier missiles.
Fortunately this great Imam doesn't receive dollars from foreign military companies and he won't because he is a true religious man who believes in Allah and his sons in military industries. He trusts them, they love him to death. That's why we have a good military industry

8 years of war was also a long time ago and had they done things correctly and not put corrupt ignorant religious folk to do the job of educated folk things may have been not so difficult even during the war. Iran could have been a powerful economy had these mullahs not been there to ruin our country.

The 8 years war was managed by our people,, please don't make it political, i have sharp answers otherwise.

 

[Jungibaaz]

What do you mean by looked well after by the international community(which I guess you mean the West)?

You think western countries invest in KSA/Gulf states for charity or because we live them? Lol it's simply business bro. If there's an enabling environment which encourages foreign investors to invest and guarantees a high ROI the investors will flock in, Its the government and leaders of that country that have to set up that good investment climate and ease of doing business to attract investors . It's just like western and neighbouring Asain countries have been investing heavily in China as well after the country opened up and set up Free trade industrial areas to attract foriegn investors. We don't invest in China for charity or out of love. No investor does that. Simply business and looking for opportunities. So I don't understand what you meant by " a country that have been looked after very well by the international community"

Yeah, obviously it's business, we're not discussing anything novel here. The point being made was simple, sanctions and international standing were largely the difference between KSA's success and Iran lagging behind. Reverse the situation and the opposite would be true. Also, sanctioning Iran is of little monetary value to anyone, it's of other value to certain interests, but again, at the risk of you or anyone else reading too much into it, I won't elaborate.

 

[mike2000 is back]

This is a totally different debate. Yes, asylum seekers from iran is the most. I think it is due to tough sanctions, less FDI, religious rule. Meaning more and more people leaving the country. It happens when a country is cut off from the world.

Iran is dominated by national companies. Who (in my analysis i dont live in iran) pay iranians according to local trend which is by far less then global standards. Just imagine very less foreign companies, meaning no KFC, standard chartered, pepsi, intel, dell. There is no competition there. This also produces less jobs for 90 million population. I think JCPOA can change that a bit.

But Hey, even European migrate to US for better life,job.
Some US citizen also migrate to south korea for jobs.


As for Qatar, UAE, Kuwait they are more open to foreign investments. More jobs and more pay. But this doesn't mean they are not migrating, there are almost 5 million arabs in Europe alone. I think you have met with really rich arabs. Did you ask what they do for living? Are they engineers? Doctors? mechanics?

What is arab population in Qatar, UAE?

Being rich vs producing products are two different things.

First one live off with oil. Import everything else. Government provide huge incentives to small arab population in those countries.
Second one make most of the products locally. Less government incentives, less income and jobs right now.

If oil become irrelevant, second one have more chances of survival.

Well, if a country brightest and youth are leaving the country because of their government policies then it's the government that is to blame.
Of course there are immigrants in every country, but the type of migration you see from western Industrialised countries is mostly highly skilled migrants moving from jobs or family or sometimes even retirement(like Brits in Spain). You don't see them fleeing asking for asylum or something or doing menial corner shops/factory jobs etc

Yeah, obviously it's business, we're not discussing anything novel here. The point being made was simple, sanctions and international standing were largely the difference between KSA's success and Iran lagging behind. Reverse the situation and the opposite would be true. Also, sanctioning Iran is of little monetary value to anyone, it's of other value to certain interests, but again, at the risk of you or anyone else reading too much into it, I won't elaborate.

Which is why I have been saying the difference is in government policies. Every country on earth that is in the situation they are have nobody to blame other than their government, Period. Anyobe blaming "others" for their situation is simply bring irrational or using it as cheap propaganda. Moreover, they say the people get the government they deserve, so I guess if the people are okay with their life/situation tgat way then so be it, they can't blame anybody.
Moreover, according to many Iranians (even on this forum) the sanctions have actually helped improve their country and living conditions , so i don't understand why you are trying to make them believe otherwise? Since you say the sanctions is to blame for them lagging behind their peers.

 

[Jungibaaz]

Which is why I have been saying the difference is in government policies. Every country on earth that is in the situation they are have nobody to blame other than their government, Period. Anyobe blaming "others" for their situation is simply bring irrational or using it as cheap propaganda. Moreover, they say the people get the government they deserve, so I guess if the people are okay with their life/situation tgat way then so be it, they can't blame anybody.
Moreover, according to many Iranians (even on this forum) the sanctions have actually helped improve their country and living conditions , so i don't understand why you are trying to make them believe otherwise? Since you say the sanctions is to blame for them lagging behind their peers.

Sanctions are never good, if Iranians are saying it's made their country better than they're daft for saying so, at best it could be seen as seeing a little good in a bad situation.

Also, sanctions applied to governments aren't always justified, nor beneficial to anyone. Could you explain the desperate need of some to isolate Iran? What's the rationale there? It's funny you say people get the government they deserve. Now I bet you'll go off and google a bunch of reasons why sanctions are necessary, and come back here to post them. I personally don't buy it.

I'm also having trouble ascertaining what you're getting at here. Speak plainly rather than taking issue with empty rhetoric I've posted here, assuming more than I've actually said. What's your issue with Iran. What do you prefer about KSA as opposed to them? Speak plainly.

 

[mohd497]

Well, if a country brightest and youth are leaving the country because of their government policies then it's the government that is to blame.
Of course there are immigrants in every country, but the type of migration you see from western Industrialised countries is mostly highly skilled migrants moving from jobs or family or sometimes even retirement(like Brits in Spain). You don't see them fleeing asking for asylum or something or doing menial corner shops/factory jobs etc.

I stated very clearly that lack of FDI is also part of the problem. People have less jobs and jobs that pay less.
Of course, Iran doesn't have that great allies with migration treaties so they seek asylum.

Plus I am one hundred percent sure if same amount of sanctions plus lack of investment plus UK government thinking they have right to other people oil/wealth then UK wont last for one week. We'll see majority of people drunk and outright civil disobedience.

 

[mike2000 is back]

Sanctions are never good, if Iranians are saying it's made their country better than they're daft for saying so, at best it could be seen as seeing a little good in a bad situation.

Also, sanctions applied to governments aren't always justified, nor beneficial to anyone. Could you explain the desperate need of some to isolate Iran? What's the rationale there? It's funny you say people get the government they deserve. Now I bet you'll go off and google a bunch of reasons why sanctions are necessary, and come back here to post them. I personally don't buy it.

I'm also having trouble ascertaining what you're getting at here. Speak plainly rather than taking issue with empty rhetoric I've posted here, assuming more than I've actually said. What's your issue with Iran. What do you prefer about KSA as opposed to them? Speak plainly.

Lol what are you talking about? Who said I have any issue with Iran? Who said I prefer Saudi Arabia?lol. You are making assumptions because of some observations I made?

According to some people on here , if you make an observation about a certain country which isn't positive then they immediately start thinking you have ulterior motives for doing so. I don't understand this sort of thinking.

When I make an observation that is positive towards Israel others also question my motive, when I make one that's is positive response towards Iran it's the same etc etc. Lol According to some of you people here you have to either be with one country and against the other, else they don't understand you. I'm just making observations and from my visits to Gulf states they are far better off than almost any other muslim country I have been to and of all the European and western countries I have been to o don't see Saudis, Qataris ,UAE citizens doing menial jobs or seeking asylum . Just a fact I noticed. No ulterior motives there.

Anyway, every country/power have their interests and their way of going after their interests. Some Western powers use sanctions to further their interests because they can afford to since they are already Industrialised developed countries and basically lead the world. Others have other means they use according to their capabilities. Iran's Interests does clash with that if western powers in the region. U S/U.K/France etc are close allies with many gulf and Arab countries in the middle East, and these countries also consider Iran a threat to them, since the advent of the islamic revolution led by Khomeini who seek to export this revolution to the region threatening these countries governments but also western powers huge investments and interests in these countries. The fact that just after the revolution the U.S embassy in Iran was hijacked and diplomats taken hostage didn't also help either, as it made both sides to become enemies as public opinion about the country nose dived after this event was televised around the country. Couple this with conflict of interests we have had in the region with Iran in Iraq after the U.S/U.K led invasion with Iran supporting shias militias and ither rebel groups against British and U.S forces trying to stabilize the country after the fall of Saddam , Syrian crisis both are on opposing sides as well. However it was during ahmadenejads presidency that real tough sanctions were really imposed due his flamboyant remarks and threats, this only increased distrust between both sides leading to tough sanctions.
However things have improved after the nuclear deal was signed with the coming if power of moderate Rouhani, European powers are also keen to invest in Iran now and improve relations, hopefully things will move in this direction. I believe Ahmadinejad's made things worse for Iran and out the country in an even tougher situation.

I stated very clearly that lack of FDI is also part of the problem. People have less jobs and jobs that pay less.
Of course, Iran doesn't have that great allies with migration treaties so they seek asylum.

I'm not sure it will come to that, since i don't think Iranian leaders(not the president since he's quite open and liberal) will agree to allow FDI from the West to flock in to a certain extent, since from what I have red, many of them believe such investments from the West will capture their market and threaten the country's local industry, this is on top of the influence they believe western countries will have investing in the country. So I don't think attracting FDI is a priority for them, though I agree President Rouhani is trying far more than his hardline predecessor.
However, I believe there are also structural problems in the country itself, it's not just external factors, but also internal ones like high inflation, low wages, corruption, dominance of SOE in the economy, labour laws, investment climate, favouritism etc etc. These are also issues that have to be dealt with.

Plus I am one hundred percent sure if same amount of sanctions plus lack of investment plus UK government thinking they have right to other people oil/wealth then UK wont last for one week. We'll see majority of people drunk and outright civil disobedience.

Too much IF's on your statements there. Lol if we are talking about hypothesis/IFs, then we could also say IF Zimbabwe ir Nigeria didn't have incompetent leaders then they will be wealthier than Britain. Too many hypothesis.
We live in reality so IF's are just wishful speculations.

 

[mohd497]

Lol what are you talking about? Who said I have any issue with Iran? Who said I prefer Saudi Arabia?lol. You are making assumptions because of some observations I made?

According to some people on here , if you make an observation about a certain country which isn't positive then they immediately start thinking you have ulterior motives for doing so. I don't understand this sort of thinking.

When I make an observation that is positive towards Israel others also question my motive, when I make one that's is positive response towards Iran it's the same etc etc. Lol According to some of you people here you have to either be with one country and against the other, else they don't understand you. [emoji38] I'm just making observations and from my visits to Gulf states they are far better off than almost any other muslim country I have been to and of all the European and western countries I have been to o don't see Saudis, Qataris ,UAE citizens doing menial jobs or seeking asylum . Just a fact I noticed. No ulterior motives there.

Anyway, every country/power have their interests and their way of going after their interests. Some Western powers use sanctions to further their interests because they can afford to since they are already Industrialised developed countries and basically lead the world. Others have other means they use according to their capabilities. Iran's Interests does clash with that if western powers in the region. U S/U.K/France etc are close allies with many gulf and Arab countries in the middle East, and these countries also consider Iran a threat to them, since the advent of the islamic revolution led by Khomeini who seek to export this revolution to the region threatening these countries governments but also western powers huge investments and interests in these countries. The fact that just after the revolution the U.S embassy in Iran was hijacked and diplomats taken hostage didn't also help either, as it made both sides to become enemies as public opinion about the country nose dived after this event was televised around the country. Couple this with conflict of interests we have had in the region with Iran in Iraq after the U.S/U.K led invasion with Iran supporting shias militias and ither rebel groups against British and U.S forces trying to stabilize the country after the fall of Saddam , Syrian crisis both are on opposing sides as well. However it was during ahmadenejads presidency that real tough sanctions were really imposed due his flamboyant remarks and threats, this only increased distrust between both sides leading to tough sanctions.
However things have improved after the nuclear deal was signed with the coming if power of moderate Rouhani, European powers are also keen to invest in Iran now and improve relations, hopefully things will move in this direction. I believe Ahmadinejad's made things worse for Iran and out the country in an even tougher situation.


I'm not sure it will come to that, since i don't think Iranian leaders(not the president since he's quite open and liberal) will agree to allow FDI from the West to flock in to a certain extent, since from what I have red, many of them believe such investments from the West will capture their market and threaten the country's local industry, this is on top of the influence they believe western countries will have investing in the country. So I don't think attracting FDI is a priority for them, though I agree President Rouhani is trying far more than his hardline predecessor.
However, I believe there are also structural problems in the country itself, it's not just external factors, but also internal ones like high inflation, low wages, corruption, dominance of SOE in the economy, labour laws, investment climate, favouritism etc etc. These are also issues that have to be dealt with.


Too much IF's on your statements there. Lol if we are talking about hypothesis/IFs, then we could also say IF Zimbabwe ir Nigeria didn't have incompetent leaders then they will be wealthier than Britain. Too many hypothesis.
We live in reality so IF's are just wishful speculations.

Haha ... during this oil glut. Saudi economy grew 1 percent .. russia 1.5 .. iran 7 percent. Please tell me its incompetence. How about UK? I heard pound is falling. See no ifs here .. enjoy now.

 

[mike2000 is back]

Haha ... during this oil glut. Saudi economy grew 1 percent .. russia 1.5 .. iran 7 percent. Please tell me its incompetence. How about UK? I heard pound is falling. See no ifs here .. enjoy now.

The Pound like every other world currency fluctuates dude. However, the fundamentals are stable. Else the pound won't be the world's 3rd largest reserves currency and one of the most traded in the world. So I don't understand your point. .
Moreover, we are talking about KSA and Iran, why are you bringing Britain into this? They are not in the same league.