Central Bank Governor: Iran's Economic Growth Reached 7.4% in the First Half of the Year

While Iran's economic growth was 1% last year, the Central Bank Governor announced that economic growth in the first half of this year has reached 7.4%. According to IRIB news agency, Valiollah Seif stated on Sunday, December 19, that due to the increase in added value in the oil sector, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 5.4% in the first half of this year. He announced that thus, the economic growth in the first half of this year has reached 7.4%. Ahmad Alavi, an economics professor in Sweden, believes there is ambiguity regarding Iran's economic growth statistics. He told Radio Farda, "The average economic growth in Iran over the past 30 years and last year did not exceed 3%, and Hamid Pourmohammadi, Deputy of the Management and Planning Organization, announced in a meeting of the Planning Council of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province that the average economic growth in the country over the past 10 years was 2.4%. Therefore, Iran's economic growth capacity is limited and cannot quickly and intensely reach 7% or higher. Achieving such sustainable growth requires a longer time and specific economic and political conditions to be in place." According to Mr. Seif, the government of Hassan Rouhani began its work when economic growth had reached negative 6.8%; inflation was over 40%, and the national currency had decreased to less than one-third of its value. He emphasized that the increase in economic growth occurred despite the negative shock of oil prices, while many oil-exporting countries in the region faced severe economic growth declines, loss of reserves, and significant depreciation of their national currencies. The economic growth rate, which was negative 6.8% in 2012, increased to negative 1.9% in 2013 after the Rouhani government took office and rose to 3% in 2014. However, this figure decreased to about 1% in 2015. The Central Bank Governor's report of over 7% economic growth comes while economic actors and experts continue to criticize the ongoing recession. In this context, the Central Bank reported: inflation rate reached 8.7% in October, and the Statistical Center reported: recession in Iran's housing construction market continues. Awaiting the final budget bill of the eleventh government, a 5% increase in oil prices, declining purchasing power as an obstacle to economic growth? The highest unemployment rate in the last 16 quarters; unemployment rate reached 12.7%. Changing the playing field of "proxy forces"; war against the people in the streets of Iran. The first paragraph; the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalizing Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis. Trump: I hope there is no need for further action regarding Iran; they were killing people indiscriminately. The shadow of war over Tehran; "Trump is looking for decisive military options against Iran." The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iran crisis. Trump emphasized the "halt of executions in Iran": we do not know what will happen in the future. Trump says if the Islamic Republic attempts to assassinate him, it will be "erased from the earth."