NYT: Iranian Privatization plan

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

Iranian President's 5-Year Plan Would Privatize Major Industries

by AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
IRAN;
Source: New York Times, Thursday, 9/16/99
TEHERAN, Iran -- President Mohammad Khatami, under mounting 
pressure to tackle Iran's economic 
woes, outlined an ambitious program 
Wednesday to privatize several major industries for the first time in more 
than 60 years.

  In his first five-year plan since 
taking office in 1997,  Khatami 
 called for the privatization of Iran's 
communications, post, railway  and 
tobacco industries in a "total restructuring" of the Islamic republic's economy.

  He told Parliament, whose approval is needed, that Iran must  address 
both the "immediate and future 
needs" of  the economy, which has 
been hampered by a lack of foreign 
 investment, persistent unemployment and rampant inflation.

  If Parliament endorses the program, covering the years 2000 
through 2004, then about 30 percent 
of  the economy would be private in 
the next five years, compared with 
 around 10 to 15 percent now. 

END EXCERPT