A prominent Iranian economist based in Paris says Iran's economic growth rate is a veritable "mystery."
Fereidoun Khavand tells RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Iran’s central bank has not announced the country's official economic growth rate since the first six months of 2008.
This didn't stop Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad from claiming improved economic growth at a Monday press conference.
Nevertheless, Kavand cited high-ranking Iranian government figures as saying Iran's growth rate was only 0.5 percent in 2008 and 1.5 percent in 2009.
"Both rates are too low for a developing country like Iran, whose economic growth rate should be at least 5 percent," Khavand told Radio Farda.
-- Michael Hirshman
Fereidoun Khavand tells RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Iran’s central bank has not announced the country's official economic growth rate since the first six months of 2008.
This didn't stop Iran's President Mahmud Ahmadinejad from claiming improved economic growth at a Monday press conference.
Nevertheless, Kavand cited high-ranking Iranian government figures as saying Iran's growth rate was only 0.5 percent in 2008 and 1.5 percent in 2009.
"Both rates are too low for a developing country like Iran, whose economic growth rate should be at least 5 percent," Khavand told Radio Farda.
-- Michael Hirshman