Iranian parliament starts budget deliberations

An Iranian parliamentary ad hoc committee started deliberations on the budget bill submitted by President Hassan Rouhani for the next calendar year starting in March. MP Hossein-Ali Haji Deligani said the meeting was attended by a vice-president as well as Minister of Petroleum Bijan Namdar Zanganeh and Minister of Economy Ali Tayebnia. Haji Deligani said the inflation rate, investment rate, money supply, non-oil exports and unemployment have so far been discussed in the meeting. President Rouhani recently submitted the budget bill for next calendar year to parliament, saying increased petrodollars and higher tax revenues are focused upon in the draft. He said the government’s general budget will exceed 1,950 trillion rials, 50 percent higher than last year.