Pezeshkian: Who said the government should buy gasoline at 130,000 tomans and sell it for 1,500 tomans?

🔸Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of Iran, on Friday, in a speech, once again criticized the low price of gasoline in Iran and the subsidy the government allocates for it.

🔸These remarks came after reports were published about a shortage of gasoline in some parts of the country, following the continued U.S. maritime blockade of Iran.

🔸Pezeshkian pointed to the impact of this blockade and “financial restrictions” on exports and imports, and added: “Who said the government should buy gasoline at 130,000 tomans and then sell it for 1,500 tomans, and subsequently face restrictions in order to increase the credibility of the food-ration (kalābarg) cards, settle financial obligations of wheat farmers, insurance, the livelihoods of workers, retirees, and government employees?”

🔸The government’s drive to set a “fourth quota” of gasoline at the free-market price has faced criticism from politicians and officials affiliated with the Principlist (osoulgarā) faction, and the speaker of the parliament of Iran (Majles) has also opposed it.

🔸Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, on Mordad 26, said that increasing the price of gasoline by the Pezeshkian government “is not a calculated measure,” because, according to him, the “enemy” has “planned” for this issue.

🔸This is while, two days later, the deputy of the Organization for Energy Efficiency announced that the country is facing restrictions in gasoline imports and that “a significant” “draw” has also been made from gasoline reserves this year. Yaser Mirzaei warned that turning withdrawals from reserves into a long-term practice will cause problems.