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.
Source: Tasnim