Is Foreign Currency for Arbaeen Circus More Necessary Than for People?

The Governor of the Central Bank deemed the supply of foreign currency for the Arbaeen ceremony more necessary than supplying it for people’s problems.

The Governor of the Central Bank, while emphasizing the need for special attention from banks and credit institutions in distributing and supplying Arbaeen currency, called for expediting the supply of foreign currency to pilgrims and stated: “Banks, through organized planning, while supplying Arbaeen currency in an appropriate manner, should prevent the formation of queues and congestion in branches in this regard and utilize electronic banking infrastructure in this field.”

According to the Central Bank’s public relations, Mohammad Reza Farzin, while referring to the appointment of six main banks—Sepah, Melli, Tejarat, Post Bank, Saderat, and Parsian—for the purpose of supplying Arbaeen currency, stated: “In a recent Central Bank circular sent to these banks, they have been instructed that their on-duty branches should conduct in-person sales of Arbaeen currency until 6 p.m. on weekdays.”

Accelerating foreign currency sales to Arbaeen pilgrims has provoked public reaction. Social media users, through posting their messages, while referring to the dispatch of ambulances and medicines for the Arbaeen ceremony, at a time when people face medicine shortages and hospitals face ambulance shortages, have reacted to the supply of currency to pilgrims and stated: “Is foreign currency more necessary for the Arbaeen circus or currency for medicines, hungry children in Baluchestan and southern regions of the country, for protecting border guards, for saving Lake Urmia, and …?”