Iranian Journal of Finance

Abstract Iran’s capital market has witnessed substantial transformation over recent decades. However, the sharp downturn of the stock market in 2020 represented a critical juncture, extending beyond retail investors’ financial losses and culminating in a widespread public trust crisis. Addressing this issue, the present study proposes a neurofinance-based model aimed at strengthening public investor trust in Iran’s capital market. The model was developed through a mixed-methods design, integrating qualitative grounded theory exploration with quantitative validation via structural equation modeling (SEM). In the qualitative phase, data were collected in 2025 through semi-structured interviews with 17 capital market experts and analyzed using a three-stage coding procedure comprising: open, axial, and selective coding. In the quantitative phase, the proposed theoretical model was empirically tested using SEM on data obtained from 87 investors in the capital market. The qualitative findings reveal that the development of trust is shaped by causal conditions (e.g., information transparency and emotional responses), contextual conditions (e.g., economic stability and social capital), and intervening conditions (e.g., media, education, and supportive institutions). The quantitative results confirm that all model paths are statistically significant and that the model demonstrates an acceptable level of fit. Accordingly, strategies such as enhancing transparency, empowering retail investors, and promoting financial literacy were proposed, generating outcomes at the individual, market, and macro levels. The novelty of this research lies in integrating a neurofinance perspective with a mixed-methods approach to develop a context-specific model aligned with Iran’s institutional and cultural environment.

Abstract Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are vital for economic development, growth in production, and employment expansion. One of their key challenges is the financing gap. Therefore, offering alternative financing solutions can aid in their growth and development. This study aims to propose an efficient way to finance SMEs through the issuance of sukuk. At first, we identified challenges in financing SMEs by interviewing experts. Then based on challenges we propose two assumptions in designing a Sukuk model for financing SMEs and based on them, we designed 7 models. We use an intermediary in all models and we propose to finance a portfolio of SMEs instead of financing a single SME and, also we use contracts that originator could use them for any purpose. These models were based on Tawaruq, Ijarah, Musharaka, Manfaat, Salam, Wakalah and Bay' al-dayn. Then we ranked models using the TOPSIS method based on 6 criteria, and the wakalah sukuk model was chosen for SME financing from the capital market. Subsequently, a model based on wakalah sukuk was developed, addressing aspects such as parties involved in Wakalah Sukuk for financing SMEs, profit management in SME Wakalah Sukuk, wakil's fee, construction of SME’s portfolio by Wakil, and reporting and monitoring the performance of the originator.

Abstract Optimizing the financing of Iran's higher education system faces major challenges such as smallness of the private sector, lack of a competitive market in knowledge production, the state's small role in higher education, and also the absence of new financial instruments in the capital market along with the development of the money market. As a result, the most important financing resources and major clients of academic research projects are state-run organizations, which also raise finance through tuition. Apparently, there are a few reasons why the higher education system should change its financing methods to achieve great goals. These reasons include intensified economic sanctions, declined capacity of the state to finance this sector, decreased power of families and firms to cover educational and research expenses through private budgets, and the necessity of making higher education expenses efficient with respect to the need to train the future workforce.
The method of this study is a descriptive-qualitative, which was carried out in two stages of the library and the implementation of the Delphi method by referring to 20 experts.
Aiming to introduce new instruments to make banking asset-backed securities (of facilities type) to education and research clients (families and firms), this study seeks to prove the hypothesis that the mortgage-backed securities can be employed to achieve the following goals. The first goal is to grant facilities to the students who are financially unable to pay tuition. This relieves the pressure on the Students Welfare Fund. The second goal is to grant business financing facilities to talented students. Finally, the third goal is to finance the firms that have research needs but are unable to cover the expenses through their revenues. Regarding 17 indicators, the research findings indicate that experts reached a consensus (Kendall's W= 0.702).