Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed his own government for rising consumer prices Thursday, boosting pressure on the managers of the sanctions-hit economy.
The annual inflation rate stood at nearly 49 percent in September, according to Iran’s official statistics centre.
Pezeshkian said the country’s inflated bureaucracy was fuelling inflation.
“We, the government, are the cause of inflation,” said Pezeshkian during a speech in the western Kurdistan province.
“We have bloated the government. Everyone has taken a position as a chief, manager or something similar,” he noted, adding that efforts were underway to cut spending and curb inflation.
Iran’s economy has been crippled by sanctions imposed after the United States and Western capitals accused Tehran of seeking to weaponise its nuclear programme.
Tehran has consistently denied the allegations, insisting its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes only.
The country’s economy has come under further strain since the 12-day war triggered by Israel’s unprecedented attack on Iran, during which the United States briefly joined Israel in striking Iranian nuclear facilities.
The war has derailed nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington which had begun in April.
Iran has more than 2.4 million civilian government employees, according to the Public Administration and Recruitment Organisation.
The figure excludes “military and law enforcement personnel or staff at the ministries of intelligence, defence and armed forces logistics, among others.”
Pezeshkian said the state’s budget deficit was worsening the economic strain and urged officials to cut unnecessary spending to ease the financial pressure on citizens.
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