VOL. XL

No. 26

30-June-1997

IRAN

Iranian Oil Minister Sees Higher Budget Surplus In Current Year

The Iranian Oil Minister, Mr. Gholamreza Aghazadeh, played down thenegative effect of oil price changes on Iran's state revenue and told the Tehran daily KayhanInternational of 22 June that he expects Iran's budget surplus in fiscal 1997-98,which started on 21 March, to exceed the surplus of $3.5bn recorded in 1996-97 and $1.6bnin 1995-96. Mr. Aghazadeh explained that this surplus was the result of...