Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 24
By Farhad Daneshvar – Trend:
Ahead of the next month’s presidential election in Iran, the country’s pro-conservative media are criticizing President Hassan Rouhani’s government over the closure of a number of industrial plants and factories during the pragmatist president’s term in office.
The media outlets affiliated with the incumbent president’s rivals claim that at least 30 industrial units have been closed down over the past almost four years, blamed on economic shortcomings within Rouhani’s administration.
In the meantime, Rouhani’s critics say that many industrial units are on the verge of shutdown and thousands of workers are now facing unemployment.
The reports on the closure of the factories range from home appliance manufacturers to tile producers and carmakers.
On the opposite side are the supporters of the administration who say some of the reported factories have been closed before Aug 2013 when Rouhani came to office, branding other reports on the closure of the factories “negative propaganda” and “disinformation”.
In some other cases the reports on the closure of a couple of industrial unites have been denied by either the government or owners.
Earlier in March Rouhani lashed out at rival media and accused them of distorting news.
The country goes to the polls on May 19 to elect president in which moderate Rouhani backed by reformists is seeking re-election against conservative rivals.
Ebrahim Raisi, an influential cleric, as well as Tehran Mayor Moahmmad-Baqer Qalibaf are seen as the main conservative candidates challenging Rouhani in the upcoming election.
World Bank through its latest report suggested that the Iranian economy bounced back sharply in 2016 at an estimated 6.4 percent.
Latest data available for the first half of the Iranian calendar year 2016 (ending in March 2017) suggest that the Iranian economy grew at an accelerated pace of 9.2 percent (year over year) in the second quarter (corresponding to July-September 2016) after a 5.2 percent growth in the first quarter, World Bank said.
The unemployment rate returned to a three-year high of 12.7 percent (or 3.3 million unemployed) in the second quarter of 2016 despite the high growth rate in this period.
The country’s economic growth in 2013 when Rouhani took office shrank by 1.912 percent and the unemployment rate stood at 10.4 percent.