Dollar De-dollarization in Ambiguity; A Parliament Member Says We Need Dollars More Than Anything

While Ali Khamenei instructed the Raisi government to implement 'de-dollarization' of the economy on the first day of 1402 (2023), now, five months later, a parliament member states, 'These days, we need dollars more than anything.' The Deputy Chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament, referring to the release of Iran's blocked funds, said that today the country needs dollars more than anything, as we must pay in foreign currency for imports and to meet the country's needs. In his Nowruz speech on the first day of 1402, Ali Khamenei emphasized the need to reduce the government's role in the economy and move away from the dollar, stating, 'One of the problems of our economy is dependence on the dollar. Some countries that have been sanctioned have cut their dependence on the dollar, and their situation improved; we must do the same.' The remarks of the Supreme Leader at that time were met with reactions from economists inside Iran, with Payman Molavi writing in this regard: 'All major currencies are defined against the dollar, whether yen, euro, pound, or yuan. The dollar is a universal currency that countries use for reserve and exchanges; it cannot be eliminated in any country.' A member of the Iran Chamber of Commerce also stated on August 7 that 'de-dollarization' is an ideological action, and the country's economy cannot bear 'marginal discussions.' Mehrdad Abad emphasized in an interview with the ILNA news agency that eliminating the dollar from foreign trade is an ideological discussion, and China has raised this issue with the aim of becoming the world's leading economy, initiating efforts in de-dollarization and 'team pulling.' Recently, a directive from Mohammad Mokhber, the first vice president of Ebrahim Raisi, was issued regarding the prohibition of contracts in dollars with foreign athletes and coaches. Observers considered this action as part of the de-dollarization effort; an idea that was described as 'De-dollarization of the Iranian economy is just a dream' in the headline of the Tehran newspaper 'Asr-e Eghtesad' on June 10. Hassan Mansour: The de-dollarization plan is meaningless with imports of about $50 billion a year. A member of the Chamber of Commerce: 'De-dollarization' is ideological. Verification | The Islamic Republic's prediction of the end of U.S. dollar dominance is highly exaggerated. When the elimination of the dollar from trade resulted in the loss of one billion dollars, the governments of Rouhani and Raisi blamed each other. The Secretary-General of the Iranian Currency Exchange Association: The dollar has become seven-tiered. The Judiciary media: 'Government currency' should be provided for chador fabric.