Page 5 - IRANRptOct20

According to the IMF’s ​World Economic Outlook released on April 14, Iran will this year suffer a GDP contraction of 6%. ​ ​Warning that the “Great Lockdown” brought about around the world by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic would cause the worst recession experienced internationally since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the IMF said Iran was inevitably in for another tough year following last year’s estimated 7.6% decline in economic output, although it added that the country might achieve growth of 3.1% in 2021.
The IMF projected the Iranian economy to endure ​consumer price inflation of 34.2% and 33.5% this year and next year, respectively.​ Last year, the rate was an estimated 41.1%.
For Iran’s ​current account balance​ across 2019, 2020 and 2021, the IMF gave estimated figures of -0.1%, -4.1% and -3.4% of GDP, respectively.
For Iran’s​ unemployment rates ​across 2019, 2020 and 2021, the IMF estimated 13.6%, 16.3% and 16.7% of GDP, respectively.
2.0​ ​Politics
2.1​ ​Iran warns Armenia, Azerbaijan not to turn border
zone into new Syria with “hotbed of terrorism”
Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, on October 1 warned Armenia and Azerbaijan not to allow their conflict to fester in a way that creates a hotbed of terrorism on their border zone with the Islamic Republic, Khabaronline reported on October 1.
Five days of fighting have seen incidents involving drones, helicopters, stray bullets and lost soldiers in the border zone, while many among Iran’s sizable minority Iranian Azerbaijani population have crowded on to the streets to voice their support for Azerbaijan.
In response to a reporter’s question on fighters allegedly being sourced from Syria, including Kurdish PKK militia and Syrian Armenians to fight on behalf of Armenia and Syrian rebel militiamen to fight for Azerbaijan, Khatibzadeh neither confirmed nor denied that Iran believed it was happening.
He added: "The Islamic Republic of Iran will not allow terrorist groups in the areas adjacent to the northern borders of our country, making for a centre of threat against our national security."
Turkey has been accused by Armenia and France of dispatching allied Syrian militia mercenaries to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Vardan Toganyan, Armenia’s Ambassador to Russia, said on September 29 that Ankara had sent some 4,000 fighters from northern Syria.
Turkey and Azerbaijan denied this was the case.
Aide to Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Khikmet Gadzhiev, said: “Rumours of militants from Syria allegedly being redeployed to Azerbaijan is another provocation by the Armenian side and complete nonsense.”
5​ IRAN Country Report October 2020 www.intellinews.com