SUPREME
LEADER KHAMENEI IS CONCERNED ABOUT ECONOMIC SITUATION
Iran’s
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei made severe statements against
the government on October 1, 2006. Khamenei, who warned
about the bad economic course, underlined the necessity to
prevent the inflation through taking the necessary measures
as soon as possible.
It is said
that the statement in question led Ahmadinejad into surprise,
who states that “there is no inflation in Iran”. It is also
stated that, following the Supreme Leader, Ahmadinejad is
troubled by the similar statements made by the secretary of
the Guardian Council Ahmad Jannati, who is one of his major
supporters, and the Iranian Majles Speaker Haddad Adel.
Meanwhile,
it is indicated that the negative reports submitted by the
experts of economy and academicians in regard to the Iranian
economy have exacerbated the discussions among the senior
authorities. The experts of economy warn that a great
economic depression may occur since January-February 2007
and they highlight the fact that the political disagreements
used to be resolved behind the closed doors are now
discussed in the media does upset all the economic balances.
It is indicated that the drastic decreases in the Iranian
stock exchange and the general decrease in the oil prices in
the world cause troubles in the country. In the meantime, it
is pointed out that the intransigeant stance of Ahmadinejad
in the negotiations conducted with the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) about the nuclear technology and the
contradictory statements he made both in the domestic and
international politics have led the foreign capital to leave
the country. It is also suggested that the sustaining
silence of Ahmadinejad, his failure in establishing the
integrity in the administration of the country and his
efforts to change the agenda by declaring that “he copes
with the malversations” impact negatively the markets.
In Iran,
who dwells in the first ranks in the oil and natural gas
production and export in the world, the income level of the
majority of people is low. According to the people, the
great part of the oil incomes goes to the ruling Mollahs and
those in their surroundings and the circles in question live
in luxury and comfort. The people also show great reactions
against the fact that some part of the oil incomes goes to
the Hezbullah Organization in Lebanon, Shiite Arabs in the
southern Iraq, Muslims in the Palestine and Bosnia and
Shiites in Syria under the name of “aid”. The common view of
all the circles loyal to the regime or not is that the high
oil income should be reflected to the society.
On the
other hand, the salaried people are not able to live on with
their low salaries and they are obliged to work in a second
job. Almost 200.000 workers working in nearly 500 plants
throughout the country have not been paid their salary for
the last 6 months. The Secretary-General of the Laborers’
Club and the Representative of Tehran Ali Reza Mahjub made a
statement about the issue and indicated that the great part
of the Iranian population has been living under the poverty
line and an additional budget should be provided in order to
pay immediately the workers’ salaries. The political
observers highlight that the skirmishes in the internal and
external politics harm the economy of the country and
indirectly the people and that this situation upsets
completely the reliance on the politicians.
