The head of the Central Bank's Jurisprudence Council states that in inflationary conditions, people can lend each other "currency, gold, and coins" instead of rials, and there is no religious prohibition regarding this. Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghadam said on Saturday, October 21, to ILNA news agency: "Borrowing in the currency of another country is not problematic as long as the other party does not demand additional payment." His remarks come at a time when Iran's markets have been affected by the risk of the rial's devaluation in recent years, leading many unofficial transactions to be conducted in dollars. For instance, many landlords in the capital and large cities demand rent in foreign currency from tenants. In recent days, with the prospect of a potential war between Iran and Israel, the prices of various currencies have repeatedly risen, and the market anticipates an increase in the dollar price as the main currency in domestic transactions in Iran. According to Mesbahi Moghadam, the reason that the rial is not used as a basis in person-to-person transactions is inflation, which is a concerning trend, and the national currency should prevail in community and national transactions. He stated that in conditions where inflation rates are between thirty to forty percent, individuals become worried about lending to others, and due to inflation, the amount of money lent in rials may not be recoverable for several months. Mesbahi Moghadam, a former member of parliament for several terms, is also a member of the Expediency Discernment Council and a representative of the Assembly of Experts. His comments regarding the FATF have previously made headlines. He claimed that Iran's re-listing on the FATF blacklist for money laundering in 2021 "does not affect Iran's transactions." He had previously controversially stated that if Iran approves anti-money laundering bills, "all operations with the IRGC will become money laundering issues." In 2022, as the head of the Central Bank's Jurisprudence Council, he promised the presence of a "Sharia supervisor" for each bank branch.
Head of Central Bank's Jurisprudence Council: People Can Lend Dollars and Coins to Each Other
Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghadam, head of the Central Bank's Jurisprudence Council, stated that people can lend currencies and gold instead of rials due to inflation concerns. This reflects the ongoing economic instability in Iran, where the rial's value is declining, and many transactions are shifting to foreign currencies. The implications of this shift highlight the challenges facing the Iranian economy amid rising inflation and geopolitical tensions.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
Central Bank's Jurisprudence Council head allows lending in foreign currencies amid inflation concerns.
- Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghadam announce Iranian public
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Central Bank's guidance on currency lending underscores the severity of Iran's inflation crisis.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%