Pezeshkian urges reform in subsidies to fix shortages
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for a reform in the subsidy allocation program across the country, stressing that, “I urge economists to provide practical solutions to address problems.”
Speaking in a ceremony in Tehran on the anniversary of the National Nurse Day, Pezeshkian stated that subsidies are being paid on bread, meat, gasoline, electricity and gas, but some do not use their share of subsidies, while some take 100 times more, according to president.ir.
He went on to say that the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer, adding that a solution should be found to overcome this trend.
The president pointed to the shortages across the country, asking the people to help solve them. Pezeshkian said, “We want to fix these shortages without causing harm to those who are already deprived and ensure that these problems are eliminated.”
He said, “I have talked about unity and emphasized that Iran is for all Iranians, this country is ours and we must make it prosperous. I do not have the right to allow inequality and injustice in society, as we are trying to make this happen, you should help us to go in this direction.”
The government will not carry out any economic intervention without informing the people and seeking expert opinions, Pezeshkian stated, noting that before taking any measure, the government must ensure that this process is beneficial for the whole society and can be done with the cooperation of the people. “We must strive to ensure that everyone receives their due rights.”
Pezeshkian said in a video published in August that fuel subsidies make no sense in Iran.
“There is no rationality in the fact that we buy gasoline with free market dollar prices and we sell it with a subsidized price,” Pezeshkian said in a video broadcast by state media. “Our economists and experts should stand up to these wrong policies.”