Leader Urges President to Address Problems in Iran's Gold Coin, Foreign Currency Markets

TEHRAN (Defapress) – In a letter to President Rouhani, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed deep concern over media reports about the administration’s recent moves to sell large amounts of gold coins and foreign currencies to some individuals and urged Rouhani to enlighten the public opinion about the ambiguities, the sources said.

Ayatollah Khamenei also ordered the president to prepare a detailed report on the issue and send it to the Leader’s office.

Earlier on Wednesday, media reports said the Iranian police have arrested a man who was hoarding two tons of gold coins in order to manipulate the market.

The report quotes Tehran’s Police Chief Brigadier General Hossein Rahimi as saying the 58-year-old suspect had accomplices who helped him collect the coins over the past 10 months. He did not identify the suspect, whom media referred to as the “Sultan of Coins.”

Two tons would be the equivalent of around 250,000 coins.

Recently, the Iranian rial has also plunged to a record low against the US dollar on the unofficial market.

The collapse of the national currency has provoked a public outcry over the quick rise of prices of imported consumer goods.

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