TEHRAN – The Judiciary chief on Tuesday lashed out at those who are “disrupting the economy” by funneling their huge assets into foreign currency and gold market, threatening that they will face “severe punishment” if their acts is recognized as “corruption on the earth”.

Asking police to identify these persons, Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani said these moves which agitate the market is a “treason against the system and the nation”.

“We will not back down under any circumstances to deal with such persons and we warn that this move which is disruption to the country’s economy carries severe punishment,” the top judge said as some businesspersons closed their shops in protest to devaluation of national currency in the face of foreign currencies and a following disruption in the business market.

Amoli Larijani described economy as the top priority, saying the enemies are seeking to mount economic pressure on Iran and cause trouble for the people.

According to Tasnim, the senior judge acknowledged that the recent turbulence in the gold, foreign currency, automobile and housing market is partly due to a surge in total cash in the country, but described the crisis as a psychological issue that is being engineered by the enemies.

In comments in April, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said the enemies have resorted to economic war after realizing the futility of military action against Iran.

“They have now focused on economic and cultural war, with the U.S. Treasury Department working as the headquarters of the economic war on the Islamic Republic establishment,” the Leader said, highlighting the need for supporting producers and businesses to deal with the enemy’s economic war.

SP/PA