Iran’s central bank chief dismissed for running for president

Hemmati has tried to distance himself from the much-criticised economic legacy of the outgoing president.

Tehran, Iran – President Hassan Rouhani has dismissed Iran’s central bank chief, Abdolnasser Hemmati, for becoming a presidential candidate in the June 18 election. The cabinet said in a statement on Sunday that Hemmati had been dismissed as his candidacy “prevents him from having enough presence at the central bank and performing the vital duties and responsibilities of the governor in the sensitive areas of money and foreign currencies”. The cabinet voted to replace Hemmati with his deputy, Akbar Komijani, who also replaced Hemmati in an economic meeting chaired by Rouhani on Sunday.