Iran’s parliament has passed a bill allowing the government to slash four zeros from the rial, Iranian state media reported on Monday, after a sharp fall in the value of the currency as a result of crippling U.S. sanctions.
Iran’s national currency will be changed from the rial to the Toman, which is equal to 10,000 rials, under the bill.
“The bill to remove four zeros from the national currency was approved by lawmakers,” Iran’s Students News Agency ISNA reported. The bill needs to be approved by the clerical body that vets legislation before it takes effect.
Iran’s state TV said the Central Bank of Iran will have two years to “pave the ground to change the currency to Toman”.
The idea of removing four zeros has been floated since 2008, but gained strength after 2018, when U.S. President Donald Trump exited Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions.