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| Ebrahim Sheibany is governor of Iran’s central bank |
By Eric Ellis
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The oil price is high. How are your foreign reserves?
The level is the highest in our history, it’s quite natural because of the jump in oil prices. The period I can compare it with is 1973-77, before the revolution. During that period we obtained about $99 billion, and after that much of it disappeared after the (1979) revolution. It was given as “loans” to many countries – Egypt, Jordan, France – and what was left was about $12 billion. Now it is at our highest level, and a very reliable level.
How much?
It is tens of billions of dollars.
The number is not public?
It is not possible… it is as I said.
Is it a state secret?
Well, it is not disclosed – for us, because of the international environment, we are a little bit careful.
Because of the political standoff with the US/west?
Yes, that is it… but the amount now is higher than before.