Senior cleric hails growth in Iran non-oil exports since rev.

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Tehran Provisional Friday Prayers Leader Hojjat-ol-Islam Mohammad Hassan Abu Torabi Fard says that the country's non-oil exports could rise to $70 billion from the current $45 billion through facilitating exports.

Speaking during this week's Friday Prayers sermon in Tehran, Hojjat-ol-Islam Abu Torabi Fard said that compared the economic situation before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, saying that "The country has had many experiences during the period of severe Western economic sanctions, political pressures, eight years of imposed war, and confrontation with the world's two nuclear powers, including the United States."

The senior cleric said that explained that, "The volume of Iranian trade in 1979, before the victory of the Islamic Revolution and at the peak of foreign exchange earnings, was about $10.9 billion, with the share of non-oil exports being only $543 million, and the country's trade balance being more than $10 billion negative."

He recalled that the Shah had signed a $30 billion contract to purchase military weapons from the United States despite the economic hardships.

The Friday Prayers leader further asserted that, "Last year, despite pressures and sanctions, the value of Iran's non-oil exports was about $45 billion, and experts suggests that by facilitating export policies, this figure could quickly exceed $70 billion."

He called on the government to facilitate exports for the country's manufacturers to tackle economic problems arising from the sanctions.