TEHRAN – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that solving people’s problems must be the main objective of policy making and decision making.

Rouhani made the remarks at a session of the Supreme Council of Economic Coordination in which the parliament speaker and Judiciary chief were present among others.

With an indirect reference to the reimposition of sanctions on Iran by the Trump administration, the president said, “Both the people and the government have passed difficult times, however, decisions can be taken in line with economic stability and progress and the people’s prosperity.”

Last year, the Trump administration abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal and ordered old and new sanctions on Iran. The move resulted in a great devaluation of national currency and high price rises. However, nearly after a year the economy is stabilizing.
 
Rouhani said his administration is making efforts to resolve the people’s economic problems.

To counter the effects of sanctions, the government is taking compensatory measures.

During the previous session of the Supreme Council of Economic Coordination on July 27, four strategies to compensate for budget deficit were approved.

Transferring government’s assets, using forex reserves, selling Islamic bonds, and withdrawing 450 trillion rials (about $10.714 billion) from National Development Fund (NDF) were the four strategies approved in that session.

During a session of the council on July 13, the amendments to the national budget plan for the current calendar year (started on March 21) had been approved.

The generalities of a modified budget plan, which has been restructured in line with the country’s “resilience economy”, were approved.

The modifications consist of four major parts, which are “sustainable revenue resources”, “effective expenditure”, “promoting stability, development and justice” as well as “fundamental modifications of budgetary system”. 

They are aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on oil money and promoting economic stability under the umbrella term “resistance economy”, ordered by Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

It was decided in that session that the council would study the priorities in the amendment plan in its next gathering.

NA/PA