A view of Iran's Majlis[/caption]An Iranian parliamentary ad hoc committee reviewing the countrys national budget bill has cut the share of state-run rainy day kitty from oil revenues to 20% from 26% as oil prices keep falling.
The share of National Development Fund of Iran (NDFI) from oil [revenues] has been reduced to 20%, Mohammad Mehdi Mofateh, spokesman for the parliament (Majlis) Ad Hoc Budget Review Committee, said on Tuesday.
He said that a 20% share from Irans natural gas exports will also be funneled into the fund as of February.
The Iranian parliament is currently reviewing a budget bill President Hassan Rouhani has submitted for Irans next fiscal year which starts on March 21.
Rouhani has sought to reduce the share of petrodollars in Irans budget by a third as the countryhas seen its oil revenues fall by 30% in recent months. Irans national budget has traditionally been drawn up based on revenues from oil which Iran holds in large quantity.
Motafteh said the budget for next fiscal year is based on $72 oil and that the lawmakers wouldnot modify the figure.
Oil prices have plunged nearly 60% since June last year over increased supplies by certain countries such as Saudi Arabia and lackluster global economic growth.
OPEC, which pumps out about 40 percent of the worlds oil, has so far refrained from cutting its production to balance the market mainly due to opposition from Saudi Arabia. Iran is a leading producer of the 12-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
The parliament has already allowed the government to increase its revenues from income tax in the next Iranian calendar year by 22%, and up its earnings from miscellaneous income tax by almost 40%.
By Press TV
The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.
