Iranian Parliament has approved Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s budget for the New Year, citing “recommendations of the Supreme Leader” and “the current situation of the country” as the reasons for its speedy passage.
Yesterday, reports indicated that Parliament had taken issue with the budget on eight points and, therefore, it would not be approved.
Parliamentary Speaker Ali Larijani was quoted as saying today that rejecting the budget is not in the best interest of the country.
Larijani has reportedly cited the coming G5+1 talks as one reason to avoid disputes over the budget.
Parliamentary spokesman Mossa Ghorbani reported: “The current situation of the country calls for greater unity, and the Leader has also made similar recommendations; therefore, although there are certain problems with the budget and some may contest it in some respects, it is best to approve it for now.”
The administration has been embroiled in disputes with Parliament over several budgetary issues, including the restructuring of subsidies and the source of the government’s cash payout to households.
