Iran To Offer Stock Options To Low-Income Families

(RFE/RL) 3 November 2005 -- Iran has approved a plan to give low-income families stock options in state-owned companies.

President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly said one of his policy aims is to spread the country's wealth more evenly among all of Iran's people.

Iran's official IRNA news agency says the actual shares could be paid off over a 20-year period.

The Welfare and Social Security Ministry will spend the next two months identifying families that will be included in the share offer.

Several million people could be selected, according to Iranian officials.

(Reuters)