Iran Sacks Economy Minister As US Sanctions Persist, Crisis Worsens

Via The Cradle

Iran’s Minister of Economy Abdolnaser Hemmati was impeached on Sunday after the Iranian parliament gave a vote of no confidence, coming as Tehran faces an economic crisis and continued sanctions from the west. 

Hemmati appeared before parliament on Sunday to address mounting complaints from lawmakers over his ministry’s performance amid the Islamic Republic’s worsening economic crisis. 

The motion to dismiss the minister received 182 votes in favor. Eighty-nine voted against the motion, and one abstained. 

Hemmati gave a speech during the open session, defending his ministry’s policies but welcoming the call for his impeachment as part of the democratic process. 

“In 2018, the country’s economic conditions were much more problematic than they are now, but we stood firm and withstood the maximum pressure,” he said, adding that it is “the right of the people’s representatives” and that “Impeachment is a manifestation of political progress and will lead to greater empathy, but they are wrong about my lack of responsiveness to problems.”

“The claim that the government has increased the exchange rate is not true,” he asserted, adding that US President Donald Trump has “declared economic war on us.”

President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the session in defense of his minister, stressing that Iran’s economic issues date back years and replacing a single official will not remedy the crisis. 

“Can one person alone decide and implement economic measures, and then we blame him for all the errors and say that if he leaves, the problems will be solved? The only way to overcome problems is through unity and empathy,” the president said. 

Iran’s currency has fallen to a record low against the US dollar recently, resulting in a surge in prices for local products and an increased demand for gold. 

Since entering office in January, Trump has renewed his “maximum pressure” policy of sanctions against Iran, which began during his first term. Trump has particularly cracked down hard on Iranian oil shipments. Tehran has blasted Washington for expressing a willingness to hold nuclear negotiations and, at the same time, resuming a full-fledged economic war against the country. 

Pezeshkian and other Iranian officials say they will not negotiate under pressure. On Saturday, Pezeshkian said that “engagement, trade, and cooperation with regional nations, when executed effectively and in conjunction with regional organizations such as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the BRICS group, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), will render US sanctions ineffective, and we will confront these challenges with strength, dignity, and honor.”

Iran’s Parliament IMPEACHES economy minister

Hemmati blamed for mismanaging economy and skyrocketing inflation

Also accused of sabotaging electricity situation to PRESSURE Iran into pro-US negotiations https://t.co/YuNPGZWeEz pic.twitter.com/QYD1FCnvM1

— RT (@RT_com) March 2, 2025

“If we come together, we can create the necessary conditions to solve problems alongside producers, industrialists, managers, and the talented individuals in our country,” he added.