The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has dismissed rumors about an imminent change in the bank�s leadership by saying that Ali Salehabadi will stay in his job as CBI governor despite rising prices in the country�s foreign currency market. �

A Thursday statement by the CBI said Salehabadi still has the full confidence of the CBI�s general assembly and members of the Iranian Cabinet who have the power to dismiss him.

The statement criticized as �unprofessional� a Monday report by Ham-Mihan newspaper which claimed that Salehabadi had cancelled his meetings in CBI headquarters for the previous three days.

The report cited Salehabadi�s failure to control rising foreign currency prices and an increasing liquidity that has�exacerbated inflation as reasons for his potential removal from the top banking job in Iran.

The CBI statement, however, dismissed the claims and said that Salehabadi had had a busy weekend and had attended numerous meetings in the bank and in other government departments.

The statement comes as foreign currency prices have risen by more than a fifth in less than a month in Iran. The US dollar rose to nearly 385,000 against the Iranian rial on Thursday, up from 320,000 reported a month ago.

The CBI and the government have in the past blamed foreign sanctions and speculative trade for the rise in currency rates.

Salehabadi on Wednesday named a new deputy CBI governor for foreign exchange and appointed the former holder of the post as his advisor.

 

 

By PRESS TV�