IMF set to boost banking ties with Iran

Meeting with Iran’s Economy Minister Ali Tayebnia on the sidelines of the annual World Bank summit in Washington DC., President of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde pointed to persistence of certain barriers to cooperation between major international banks and Iranian banks asserting “negotiations will be held with US officials to remove obstacles and expedite bolstering of Iran’s ties with international monetary institutions.”

She further touched upon IMF’s plan to launch a fresh round of collaborations with Iran saying “proposals for cooperation will be made to Iran over various areas like training and exchange of experience and technical knowledge with other states.”

Also at the meeting, Iran’s Tayebnia said Iran has started infrastructural and structural reforms within the framework of Resistance Economy as economic roadmap.

He reiterated that the results of these reforms are slowly showing themselves and the successes of the 11th government in reducing and controlling inflation rate as well as crisis management of sharp decline in oil prices are the outcome of proceeding with the same policy.

Tayyebnia pointed to the recent report by the IMF on Iran’s economy saying “the recent IMF report has appositive approach towards Iran’s economy and it has managed to help the government succeed in implementing some of its programs.”

He also touched upon the especial condition of the region which is entangled with the scourge of terrorism with poverty remaining as its main root; “we hope that policies pursued by IMF will increase welfare of people in the region and similar areas by removing poverty.”

Later at the meeting, IMF President Lagarde expressed satisfaction towards meeting with Iran’s highest-ranking economy official after two decades and appreciated Iran’s achievements in controlling inflation and confronting consequences of low oil prices.

She further confirmed Tayebnia’s comments of roots of terrorism and referred to IMF’s new plans in this regard calling for relevant cooperation with Iran.

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