Private sector businesses have received about 130 trillion rials in loans from Bank Melli, according to the bank’s CEO Abdonnaser Hemmati. He added that only 54 people have borrowed half of the whole amount. “The amount of government’s debt to Bank Melli also stands at 150 trillion rials,” said Hemmati, who was addressing a two-day meeting of directors of Bank Melli’s provincial branches in the western city of Hamadan. Hemmati expressed hope that the government’s debt to Bank Melli will be collected as soon as possible by appropriate decisions that should be taken by the parliament and the related authorities. Hemmati said that Bank Melli is prepared to help the government with its plans for stimulating economic growth and reducing the unemployment rate.
