Iran lawmakers fire finance minister as economic woes mount
Source: Kansas City Star
TEHRAN, IRAN
Iran's parliament voted Sunday to fire the country's finance minister amid an economic freefall fanned by America's withdrawal from the nuclear deal with world powers, dealing another blow to President Hassan Rouhani's embattled administration.
It's unlikely that parliament's dismissal of Masoud Karbasian will staunch the bleeding with Iran's rial currency falling to new lows against the U.S. dollar as chronically high unemployment and inflation haunt the country.
However, it shows Iran's Shiite theocracy's growing recognition of the anger felt across the country of 80 million, which has seen months of sporadic protests challenging it.
Karbasian sought to defend himself, saying that America had "targeted our entire economy and social fortifications. America is seeking to block the country's economic vessels to put people under pressure and stir dissatisfaction," he told lawmakers. "They are after hitting the government and ruling system. You should believe that we are at an all-out economic war."
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