Iran’s modernization and development over the past two decades have experienced various fluctuations, including periods of rapid growth and intervals of stagnation. With the proliferation of development ideas, the necessity for planning became evident, leading to the establishment of the country’s Planning and Budget Organization. In the decades preceding 1327 (Iranian calendar), only minimal measures were undertaken to create a systematic approach to economic planning; however, following the formation of the Planning and Budget Organization and the regulation of its activities, a comprehensive planning system emerged. In this context, the present study seeks to answer the question: “What has been the orientation of development programs in contemporary Iran in light of development trends in the international system?” The research method is descriptive‑analytical, employing conceptual frameworks of development from the modernist school. In addressing the main question, the following hypothesis is posited: “Modernization and development in Iran have been predominantly oriented toward economic aspects from the outset—a trend that persisted from the Pahlavi era until the years following the Islamic Revolution. Only in the Fifth Plan during the Pahlavi period and from the Third Plan after the Islamic Revolution have non‑economic indicators been incorporated into development programs.” After the Islamic Revolution, in view of domestic needs and international obligations, economic and social programs have become interwoven with political development, conflict resolution, and engagement with the international system, thereby placing comprehensive development high on the governmental agenda.