Health Minister: It Will Take One Year to See the Impact of the Nuclear Agreement on People's Food and Medicine

The Iranian Minister of Health says it will take a year to see the impact of the results of the 'definite opening' in nuclear negotiations with the 1+5 countries 'on the food and medicine of the people.' According to Tasnim News Agency, Hassan Hashemi emphasized on Tuesday, April 6, that 'this year is not an easy year.' Based on the agreement between Iran and the 1+5 countries in Lausanne, Switzerland, global sanctions are to be gradually reduced in exchange for Iran's increased cooperation with the West to verify the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program. The Iranian Minister of Health stated that 'this year, the various pressures on the people must definitely be reduced,' adding: 'The comfort of the people is very important for the government, and despite the sabotage of some reactionaries in the region and Israel, if the negotiations yield results and a definite opening occurs, it will still take a year to see the results in the food and medicine of the people; therefore, this year is not an easy year.' In recent days, some Iranian government officials have spoken about the impact of lifting sanctions on Iran's economy. In this context, Valiollah Seif, the head of the Central Bank of Iran, mentioned that banks should increase their activities and prepare for a 'prominent' presence in the international arena. Abbas Shaeri Moghadam, Deputy Minister of Oil, also referred to the Lausanne agreement on Tuesday, stating that if sanctions are lifted, Iran's petrochemical production capacity will double with foreign participation. According to Mehr News Agency, he emphasized that the Iranian petrochemical industry needs $8 billion in annual investment to compensate for 'past shortcomings.' Meanwhile, Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghadam, a representative from Tehran in the parliament, said that the political agreement between Iran and the 1+5 could have a positive effect on Iran's economy. According to ISNA, he also stressed that one should not expect a sudden positive economic shock, as economic changes take time. The statements of Iranian economic officials regarding the impact of the Lausanne agreement on the economy come as reports indicate that the prices of foreign currencies and gold coins in the Iranian market have risen again after just one day of decline. According to the state-run IRNA news agency, currency traders on Sunday raised the price of each US dollar by 32 tomans compared to Saturday, setting it at 3289 tomans, while the price of each new design gold coin increased by 23,000 tomans to 958,000 tomans. This news agency had reported on Saturday, April 15, a decrease of 62 tomans in the price of the US dollar compared to the last working day, announcing the price of this currency at 3275 tomans. IRNA also reported that on Saturday, each new design gold coin had been offered to buyers at 935,000 tomans after a decrease of 1,000 tomans in price.