June 28, 2019
Deputy Health Minister Ali-Reza Raisi (photo) has revealed cigarettes can be legally imported using highly subsidized currency intended for food and pharmaceuticals. Apparently tobacco qualified because it is an agricultural product. The subsidized currency costs importers 42,000 rials per dollar while the market rate is a little above 130,000 rials. Raisi told the Iranian Students News Agency that last year $170 million, at the subsidized rate, was used to import cigarettes and $16 million to import cigarette papers.
