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Iran's Rezaei warns of economic collapse

Business Materials 2 June 2009 11:09 (UTC +04:00)

Iranian presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaei warns of the consequences of repeating the former Soviet Union's mistakes when it comes to scientific and economic progress, PressTV reported.

"We don't want to be like the Soviet Union which made scientific achievements that got it to the moon, but at the same time experienced an economic collapse," Rezaei said on Monday, while on the campaign trail in the western province of Chaharmahal Bakhtiari.

A few months ago, Iranian scientists carried out their first domestic satellite launch by sending the domestically made research satellite, Omid into orbit.

Rezaei said while the government had made great strides in science and technology, it must not try to hide the fact that the country faces economic difficulties.

"Some are trying to portray things as if there is no poverty and unemployment in the country," he said.

Rezaei, who is one of the country's four presidential candidates, also said that criticizing the status quo is not necessarily the same as starting a smear campaign against the incumbent administration.

Critics of Ahmadinejad's economic policies say his programs have increased liquidity and inflation in the country.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, however, argues that the attacks made against his administration are a pre-election 'propaganda war'.

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