Mahmoud Bahmani
Mahmoud Bahmani | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 2, 1947 Savojbolagh, Iran |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, politician |
| Years active | 2008–2013 (Governor of the Central Bank of Iran) |
| Known for | Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (2008–2013) |
Mahmoud Bahmani (born 2 January 1947 in Savojbolagh) is recognized as an Iranian banker and politician. He held the position of Governor at the Central Bank of Iran from 2 September 2008 until 2 September 2013, after which Valiollah Seif took over the role.
Career
In September 2008, following the dismissal of Tahmasb Mazaheri who had been in office for roughly one year, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appointed Bahmani as Governor. This change occurred subsequent to the Central Bank's decision to increase deposit interest rates in an effort to combat rising inflation. The decision underscored a conflict between government officials advocating for expansionary monetary policies and banking authorities focused on inflation control. Gholamreza Mesbahi-Moghadam, an influential figure within the Majlis Economic Commission, opposed both Bahmani’s appointment and Mazaheri’s removal.
On 28 February 2009, Bahmani expressed concern regarding major world economies’ extensive currency injections aimed at mitigating the global recession, cautioning that such stimulus measures could lead to heightened global inflation. He called upon the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to strengthen assistance programs for developing nations. At the IMF Spring Meeting held in Washington, D.C., in April 2009, Bahmani acted as the representative for the 'G-24' coalition of developing countries.
Throughout his governorship, Bahmani’s inflation figures contrasted with those presented by Ahmadinejad—he reported a 14% inflation rate between 2007 and 2008, whereas Ahmadinejad cited a rate of 25.4%. When these discrepancies became politically sensitive during the 2009 Iranian presidential election, Bahmani threatened to resign if his reported data were disputed.