President Hassan Rouhani sought to reassure the public about his government's ability to tackle the currency crisis and maintain economic stability.
"We have taken a firm decision regarding the foreign exchange market to ensure calm and tranquility among the people. No one should worry about the import, export and supply of basic goods," Rouhani told a public rally in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province, on Tuesday.
On April 9 the government announced a unified rate of 42,000 rials to the dollar and outlawed the use of all other rates. The move came after the rial lost close to half its value on the free market since last September, sinking to a record low of 60,000.
"All the requirements of the country can be imported using the 42000-rial exchange rate and basic commodities will be provided at previous prices. The people should not worry about imports," the president was quoted as saying by his official website.
Economic prospects of the country have been clouded by the plunging rial and uncertain fate of the 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers that faces an existential threat from President Donald Trump who has pledged to take the US out of the landmark agreement if the “major problems in the deal are not fixed” by the US’ European allies who also are signatories.
Police have arrested many currency exchangers “for destabilizing the market” and shut down dozens of unlicensed currency exchange shops.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has pointed to foreign governments seemingly behind the currency crisis, saying it is part of "a complex and major war unleashed by the intelligence services of adversaries.”
Trump is required under US law to make a crucial decision before May 12 about whether to keep the US in the nuclear agreement by extending a suspension of Iran sanctions, as called for by the deal.
"The Iranian government and people are ready to face enemies' plots at any level," Rouhani told the public gathering.
