Tehran, Iran, August 28
Trend:
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has appeared before the country's parliament to answer questions on his government's handling of Iran's economic struggles.
Following Iran's growing economic difficulties and the collapse of the Iranian rial, parliament has summoned Rouhani for the first time.
Lawmakers questioned Rouhani on topics including the rial's decline, which has lost more than half its value since April, weak economic growth and rising unemployment, according to state TV on August 28.
The Iranian president is facing a growing backlash since US President Donald Trump pulled out from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers in May and said he will reimpose sanctions that seek to throttle Iran's economy, including its lifeblood oil exports.
According to ISNA, lawmakers wanted Rouhani to explain why, after more than two years of signing a nuclear deal, Iranian banks still only have limited access to global financial services.
Rouhani's summons comes amid further shows of public discontent over high prices, water shortage, power cuts, and alleged corruption in the Islamic Republic.
On Sunday, Iran’s parliament sacked the minister of economic affairs and finance amid a deterioration in the economic situation.
The sacking was the latest in a continuing shakeup of top economic personnel. In early August, Iranian lawmakers voted out the minister of labor and last month President Hassan Rouhani replaced the head of the central bank.