Parliament Rejects Outlines of Fiscal 2021-22 Budget Bill

The Iranian Parliament rejected the outlines of the upcoming fiscal year’s (starting March 21) budget bill on Tuesday. 
The legislators cast 99 votes for and 148 votes against, while 12 abstained, IRNA reported.
“If the bill wins enough votes, we will start working on its details. If not, it will return it to the government [for revision],” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said before the voting process began.
The parliamentarians’ negative vote for the budget comes as the government’s economic team and President Hassan Rouhani have time and again spoken of changes made by the Majlis Joint Commission in their proposed bill, “which changes would make economic conditions even more difficult for people and hinder the country’s path toward development”.