Iran lawmakers to summon economy minister over currency woes
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Iranian lawmakers will summon the economy minister for questioning over a record slump of the local currency against the dollar, local media reported on Thursday.
The Iranian rial was trading at around 770,000 against the US dollar and at roughly 800,000 to the Euro on Thursday, according to local media and the Bonbast website that monitors exchange rates.
Iran's currency has never before traded at levels so low.
The drop in Iran's currency has worsened since the December 8 fall of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, a longtime ally of Tehran.
The rial had already been steadily falling, hovering near 710,000 against the greenback in the days before Islamist-led rebels toppled him after a lightning offensive.
Lawmaker Abbas Goudarzi said the rial's depreciation has contributed to an increase in prices which "ultimately placed an economic pressure on (Iran's) population."
"Lawmakers will summon the minister of economy to parliament to question him in that regard and, if necessary, will launch an motion for his impeachment," said Goudarzi, as quoted by Mehr news agency.
It was not immediately clear when the summoning will take place.
Iran's economy has endured years of crippling Western sanctions, especially after its arch-foe the United States, under then-president Donald Trump, unilaterally abandoned a landmark nuclear deal between the Islamic republic and major powers in 2018.
The collapse of the deal exacerbated inflation and triggered a sharp depreciation of the rial, placing significant strain on ordinary Iranians.
Efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear pact have since faltered.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, who took office in July, has pledged to push for a revival of the agreement and the lifting of sanctions.
Trump's victory in the November US election has raised concerns among Iranians about the possibility of further sanctions and economic pressure during his second term that begins in January.
Iranian officials have, however, downplayed the impact of Trump's win on the Islamic republic.