President: Iran non-oil exports exceed its imports in six decades

Tehran, Dec 6, IRNA – President Hassan Rouhani says that for the first time in six decades Iran’s exports of non-oil goods have exceeded its imports. He made the remarks in a ceremony in Tehran University on Tuesday. Though the country was suffering from deep recession with the economic growth rate showing a negative trend in 2012-3, he said, the nation had a plus three economic growth rate last year. Noting that the country also had a tough time due to low oil prices, the President said all oil producing countries including Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq and Venezuela had to use their reserves while Iran managed to cut its inflation rate. He said the government certainly needs to absorb investments first from inside the country and then from outside it. President Rouhani went to Tehran University Tuesday morning to attend a special ceremony there on the occasion of Students’ Day. The 16th day of the Iranian month of Azar (falling on December 6 this year) is commemorated as University Students’ Day in Iran each year. It is commonly celebrated by the country’s president attending a ceremony in a leading university in Tehran. The day commemorates the killing anniversary of three university students by the toppled Pahlavi regime in Tehran University in 1953 who were demonstrating against the visit of the then US Vice President Richard Nixon to Iran only four months after a US-led coup in the country. 1378/IRNA