“We should expand ties with world countries and pay attention to the fact that many countries consider the economy as their first priority while this is not the case in Iran,” Mehrdad Lahouti, the spokesman of the Parliament’s Independent Faction, told Mehr News Agency on Wednesday.

“Given the coronavirus outbreak in the country and its negative consequences on the society, the government should mobilize all its resources this year to bring back Iran to normal conditions,” he said.

Langarud’s representative in the Parliament went on to say that people’s health should be a priority but the country’s conditions should return to normal in less than two months.

The outbreak has affected many industrial manufacturers and tourism industry, he regretted, adding that the government needs to devise a new plan to resolve economic problems as it cannot rely on tax revenues this year.

The virus has so far infected more than 92,500 people while claiming above 5,800 lives. The country has gradually reopened most businesses by following health guidelines.

Foreign debts of Iran in this period hit $9.53 billion, showing a three percent decline as compared to the last year’s corresponding period.

According to the initial maturity of debts, Iran’s foreign debt rate from March 21 to Dec. 22 hit $9.053 billion, $7.548 billion of which is related to the mid- and long-term debts.

Moreover, of total $9.053 billion worth of foreign debt, $1.505 billion of which is related to the short-term debts, CBI added.

Iran’s total debts volume from March 21 to Nov. 22, 2019, hit $9.018 billion, the rate of which reached $9.053 billion, showing a significant hike.

This is while that statistics of Iran’s foreign debts by the end of last Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2019) hit $9.339 billion, the rate of which showed that Iran’s total volume of foreign debts has decreased in the nine months of the current year (from March 21 to Dec. 22, 2019).

He made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian businessmen and economic activists in Ardabil province, with the participation of the Iranian Head of Iran-Oman joint economic commission Mohsen Zarrabi.

The Omani ambassador said, “it is vital for delegations from both countries to attend Iran-Oman joint economic summit to prepare the ground for the development of mutual economic relations.”

Zarrabi, for his part, announced that Iran’s exports to Oman stood at $146 million in 2016-2017 but the figure increased up to $728 million in 2017-2018.

According to him, Iran-Oman trade volume was $1.161 million in 2017-2018 (Iranian calendar year 1397, ended on March 20, 2018).

In late October, Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ali Asqar Mounesan announced that “Talks with Oman are underway to implement visa-free program for Iranian tourists visiting the country.”

On September 20, the cabinet of ministers approved to maintain a visa waiver program for Omani nationals which had been ratified last September for a one-year period.

Iran–Oman relations are bilateral relations between Oman and Iran. The two countries currently share diplomatic and economic ties dating back to the Pahlavi period. Oman considers Iran not to be a threat perceived by the other Arab states of the Persian Gulf.^{[citation needed]} Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77. Iran has an embassy in Muscat whilst Oman has an embassy in Tehran.