'Iran's Foreign Monetary Fund is empty'

Speaking at the country's parliament this morning, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad noted that there is no available money in Iran's Foreign Monetary Fund for Tehran's underground system development, IRNA reported.

Ahmadinejad, for the first time in history of Iran, is facing the parliament's questions on various issues. Answering the question on why Tehran's underground system is not being developed, Ahmadinejad said that according to the law, the government must first acquire money from the Monetary Fund.

"Iran's Central Bank reported that there is no available money in the Foreign Monetary Fund," Ahmadinejad said. "And the Government, according to the law, can only take money for such costs from the Fund."

Earlier, Iran's Central Bank head Mahmoud Bahmani said that the Central Bank's reserves increased by $9 billion.

Ahmadinejad appeared in the parliament this morning, to answer questions by a number of representatives. He is to answer 10 questions posed by 79 members of the parliament. Ahmadinejad is the first president in Iranian history to face questions by parliament.

The questions include the decisions and performance of President Ahmadinejad's government on such issues as Tehran underground system, economic growth rate, implementation of the subsidiary plan and cultural budget.

250 reporters from domestic and foreign media and press are present in the parliament to cover the session.


/Trend/