Iran to generate 2.5 mln new jobs

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the government plans to create about 2.5 million jobs in the Iranian calendar year 1390 (March 21, 2011 - March 19, 2012), Press TV reported.

President Ahmadinejad made the remarks during the 45th meeting of Iran's High Council of Employment on Sunday, where he also introduced the new Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Security Abdolreza Sheikholeslami, the official website of the president reported.

The Iranian president stated at the meeting that the Islamic Republic has the essential human and financial resources to achieve this goal, expressing his optimism that the country's unemployment rate would ultimately drop to zero in a foreseeable future.

He also emphasized that about 1.6 million jobs were created in the country in the past year.

Earlier in May, Sheikholeslami urged all major labor organizations to help the government in its plan to eliminate unemployment.

In February, Iran's Labor Ministry announced plans to reduce the country's unemployment rate to seven percent by the end of 2012, in line with the Fifth Socio-Economic Development Plan (2010-2015).

Iran's Fifth Five-Year Economic Development Plan is part of the 20-Year Outlook Plan (2005-2025), which is the country's main blueprint for long-term sustainable growth.


/Trend/