Iran's Khamenei says
economic progress limited despite lifting sanctions
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[March 09, 2017]
By Parisa Hafezi
ANKARA
(Reuters) - Iran's supreme leader criticized the country's slow pace of
economic recovery on Thursday despite the lifting of sanctions and
called on President Hassan Rouhani's government to champion greater
self-sufficiency, state TV reported.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's criticism comes ahead of Iran's presidential
election in May, when the pragmatist president is expected to seek
re-election.
"Of course the government has taken remarkable steps but if the
resistance economy had been implemented fully and widely, we could
witness a tangible difference in people's lives," state TV reported
Khamenei as saying.
The "resistance economy" promoted by Khamenei is aimed at making Iran'
economy more self-sufficient.
Rouhani's popularity and his efforts to end Iran's economic and
political isolation have panicked hardline allies of Khamenei, who fear
losing power and aim to reclaim the presidency for their faction.
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Most sanctions imposed on Iran over its disputed nuclear program were
lifted in 2016, in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear work under a
deal with six major powers in 2015.
Khamenei and his allies have criticized Rouhani's government for failure
to bolster the economy since the sanctions imposed on Iran were lifted a
year ago.
"We receive complaints from people ... People should feel improvements
regarding creation of jobs and manufacturing. It is not the case now,"
he said.
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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during Friday
prayers in Tehran September 14, 2007. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl/File
Photo
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Rouhani and his ministers have defended the government's record, citing economic
reports and figures pointing to improvements.
"Presenting reports and figures is good but will not impact people's lives in
mid and long-term," Khamenei said.
Hit hard by the double hammer blows of years of embargo and the plunge in oil
prices since the middle of 2014, Iran's economy has slowly recovered since the
lifting of sanctions but deals with Western investors are few and far between.
Foreign investors are cautious about trading with or investing in Iran, fearing
penalties from remaining unilateral U.S. sanctions and U.S. President Donald
Trump's tough approach to the Islamic Republic.
"Attracting foreign investment is a positive measure but so far a very limited
of foreign contracts have been materialized," Khamenei said. Iran needs foreign
capital to modernize its key oil and gas sectors.
(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Dominic Evans)
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