Minister: Positive Economic Growth Forcing World Powers to Negotiate with Iran

Iranian Economy Minister Ali Tayyebnia underlined that Iran’s positive economic growth has made the world powers to sit to the negotiating table with Iran.

“The government has taken effective steps in reducing the country’s dependence on the oil revenues over the past two years in a way that the country’s economy witnessed positive growth last Iranian year (ended march 20); this has caused the enemies to grow disappointed at the sanctions and sit to the negotiating table… ,” the Iranian economy minister said, addressing a conference in Tehran on Sunday.

Late last month, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani voiced satisfaction in the progressive trend of the county’s economy, saying his government is resolved to utilize each and every capacity and potential to end economic stagnation in the country.

“I have no doubts that Iran will move toward prosperity during the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2015, March 20, 2016),” the president said during a visit to the Southern city of Qeshm. “Everyone should try to help push Iran’s economy toward stronger prosperity.”

He emphasized that the country is set to proceed toward stronger economic improvements, but that still requires some time.

In February, Spokesman of the Iranian Government Mohammad Baqer Nobakht announced plans to increase the country’s economic growth to %2 in the next Iranian calendar year.

He also said that the government expects investment in the country to grow to 4% in the next Iranian year.

His remarks came after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its January report predicted a prosperous economic year for Iran in 2015.

In its latest report, the organization outlined the perspective for the Iranian economy in 2015, predicting seven improving infrastructure indicators for the country.

The IMF predicted a 2.2% real GDP growth for the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2015.

According to the purchasing power parities, Iran’s Gross National Growth rate is predicted to increase by $53bln in 2015. Based on consumer price index in the previous year, the GNP rate which stood at $402bln in 2014 will rise to $417bln this year.

Iran’s real GDP growth picked up in 2014 with 1.5% growth and is expected to grow further by 2.2% in 2015, after two years of negative economic growth, the IMF said.

Iran’s 2013 GDP hit 39bln which led to -2.4 percent economic growth of the country.

The government of President Rouhani had promised to zero down the country’s negative economic growth after taking power 2013, but now it is promising a %2 growth for the next year despite the sanctions and pressures exerted on Iran by the US-led West.