Continued Bread Crisis; Denial of Price Increase and Closure of Bakeries in the Capital

The crisis of rising bread prices and overcharging has reached the capital, but the governor of Tehran has denied this issue, stating that there is no increase in bread prices and that 30 bakeries were closed for undercharging and overcharging. Ahmad Qayoumi emphasized that due to violations, 100 bakeries were condemned to 'suspension of flour allocation.' According to the governor of Tehran, the main violations of bakeries relate to issues such as overcharging with mandatory sesame bread, undercharging, and poor quality, which resulted in 'warnings' and 'banner installations' for 60 units, in addition to 'closure' and 'seizure of flour allocation.' Meanwhile, the ILNA news agency reported on Friday, September 22, about the removal of flour and bread subsidies in Tehran and the ongoing trend of rising bread prices, stating: 'Once again, subsidies have been removed from the empty tables of the underprivileged.' The issue of rising bread prices in Iran was raised in August of this year from the Razavi Khorasan province. Mohammad Barzali, head of the Agricultural Jihad Organization, announced the new bread prices at a press conference, stating: 'The price of Sangak bread weighing 600 grams will be 9,000 tomans, Barbari bread weighing 500 grams will be 7,500 tomans, and Taftoon bread weighing 200 grams will be 4,000 tomans.' However, at that time, Ahmad Vahidi, the Minister of Interior in Ebrahim Raisi's government, denied the increase in bread prices, claiming that 'there has been no increase in bread prices in the government.' Recently, the Tasnim news agency reported that the flour quota for 300 Sangak bakeries in Tehran has changed from 'type one' to 'type two,' causing the price of simple bread at about 300 Sangak bakeries in Tehran to change from 2,000 tomans to 3,000 tomans. Ehsan Khandozi, the Minister of Economy in Ebrahim Raisi's government, stated last week that bread does not have a 'uniform price' across Iran and that its price is determined 'regionally and provincially.' He announced the formation of a 'special oversight working group' on bread prices and stated that the increase in bread prices is possible upon request from provincial officials and approval from the Ministry of Interior. These statements, contrary to those of the Minister of Interior, indicate the government's role in the rising price of bread. Today, despite the official increase in bread prices in the capital, the lack of economic justification and high operating costs in bakeries have led to more widespread issues such as undercharging and overcharging. The increase in bread prices; once again, subsidies have been removed from the 'tables of the underprivileged.' Bread has become expensive in Tehran; the Minister of Economy: we have 'special' oversight on bread prices. The government's performance has also raised the voices of its supporters; the heavy shadow of the bread crisis looms in the coming year. Pensioners of social security gathered in several cities in Iran: we say our salaries are low - bread prices are rising.