Iranian president says his govt. is focusing on economy, foreign policy

TEHRAN,Apr.6(MNA) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his administration has mainly focused on economy and foreign policy, adding that there is a long way ahead to reconstruct the country’s foreign relations. Significant steps have been taken in the areas of foreign policy, Rouhani said during a meeting with a number of ministers, presidential aides, and executive officials in Tehran on Saturday. “This is the beginning of this path and it is a good beginning. We need time, efforts, coordination, and harmony to reconstruct the poor condition of our foreign policy and we need to work hard,” the president added. Commenting on the implementation of the second phase of the subsidy reform plan, Rouhani said he has taken all the “responsibilities for implementing” it. The parliament has approved a bill that obliges the administration to take all the necessary measures by the end of spring to start the second phase of the plan in the first month of summer. The subsidy reform plan pays 455,000 rials (about $18 based on the U.S. dollar official exchange rate of 24,800 rials) to Iranians, partially eliminating subsidies for fuels and some basic commodities.