Iran

[Shahab3]

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Azeri official: Some forces try to engage Iran and Azerbaijan
in a conflict

Baku, June 17, IRNA -- Azerbaijan`s Minister of National Security
Namik Abbasov in meeting with Iran`s Justice Minister Mohammad Esmail
Shoushtari here Wednesday said there are many forces who try to engage
the two countries in a conflict.
To obtain their objectives, these forces do any odious action,
therefore, in such circumstances protection of mutual interests is
very important, Abbasov added.
He said except Iran and Azerbaijan nobody else wants friendly
relations between the two countries.
Azerbaijani national security minister said," Our policy towards
Iran is clear and late President Heidar Aliyev was the founder of
this policy which has been continued by the current President Ilham
Aliyev".
He said Iranian officials` visits to Azerbaijan are very important
adding that the officials of the two countries should try for
prosperity and progress of the two neighbouring nations.

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Iran's supreme leader rejects World Bank, IMF economic models

TEHRAN, June 16 (AFP) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday rejected World Bank and IMF economic models for his country, during a ceremony to receive MPs of the new parliament, state television reported.

"Iran's development model must be based on cultural and historic conditions and on the beliefs of the people and, while using positive aspects of others' experiences, should not copy models of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)," said Khamenei.

The government of Iran's reformist President Mohammad Khatami has followed a policy of economic opening, trying in particular to privatise part of the economy, which is more than 70 percent state-controlled.
...
Iran has experienced strong economic growth in recent years, thanks largely to the high prices commanded by oil. In the last Iranian fiscal year, March 2003 to March2004 , growth was6 . 7percent.

The outgoing parliament in March approved a budget of 137 billion dollars, with growth forecast at7 . 4percent for the year starting last March20 .

But experts warn that Iran needs major foreign investment to reach that growth figure and to create jobs for the800 , 000young people who enter the labour market each year. More than three million Iranians are unemployed, according to officialfigures.

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