TEHRAN - Figures by Iran’s Supreme Audit Court (SAC) show the government collected $2.91 billion in tax revenues in the two first months of the current fiscal year.
A report by the SAC published on Sunday said that tax receipts had fallen short of a target of 836.4 trillion rials ($3.345 billon) set by the budget law for the two months to May 21.
The report said income tax had amounted to 98.6 trillion rials ($394 million) while tax on goods and services reached 184 trillion rials ($736.3 million) over the period.
It said foreign travel tax collected in the two months to May 21 had reached nearly $2 million despite restrictions imposed on travel to Europe and elsewhere because of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The SAC said Iranian National Tax Administration had 2,659 trillion rials (10.637 billion) in tax arrears related to the calendar year to March 20 of which some 1,966 trillion rials ($7.865 billion) were fines accrued on unpaid taxes.
Tax receipts related to surcharges on luxury goods and houses were not included in the report, said the SAC.
Iran eyes higher tax revenues this year as it seeks to impose taxes on vacant homes and luxury goods and properties.
Tax receipts have increased in recent years to help government offset losses suffered because of U.S. sanctions on oil exports.