Deepening Poverty in Iran; A Parliament Member: Poverty is Not Related to the Islamic Republic

On Thursday, August 5, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly referred to Iran and its people as "potentially wealthy" and stated that the current poverty of the people is not related to the Islamic Republic. According to some media reports in Iran, Fereydoun Abbasi commented on the criticism from some parliament members regarding the economic situation and the critical living conditions of the people, saying: "Expressing shortages is different from showing that we are poor and deprived." He attributed the cause of poverty to the "economic war of the enemy." This member of the Energy Commission of the parliament likened the current economic war to the Iran-Iraq war and added that we should loudly announce the country's assets and strengths, stating that "there is no need to shout about weaknesses." He mentioned that all different governments in the Islamic Republic have tried to solve the welfare problems of the people so that they can live with an appropriate level of comfort. Meanwhile, some labor activists on the same day called for an increase in workers' wages and a meeting of the Supreme Labor Council, amid rising living costs and food prices this year. Hassan Mousivand, the secretary of the Labor House in Lorestan, emphasized the government's inability to reduce the inflation rate, describing the living conditions of workers and retirees as "difficult" and stating that "workers face problems in purchasing their most basic needs." The Statistical Center of Iran announced the annual inflation rate for food and beverages in July of this year to be about 67 percent. However, some members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, including Gholamreza Nourizadeh Qazaljeh, mentioned the actual inflation rate to be 120 percent. Eid Ali Karimi, the secretary of the Labor House in Qazvin, also stated that obtaining "three kilograms of meat and five kilograms of chicken is equivalent to one-fourth of a worker's monthly salary." Reports from the Voice of America based on the published statistics indicate the worsening economic situation of rural communities in Iran, with the annual inflation rate for this sector in July being nearly 52 percent. According to calculations from this government center, the annual inflation rate for urban residents was 46.8 percent. Additionally, the Ministry of Labor of the Islamic Republic reported that 57 percent of Iran's population suffers from malnutrition. The report indicated that the inflation rate for food in July was 67 percent, with red meat and poultry leading with an inflation rate of 86 percent. It also showed that in the year leading up to July, the inflation rate for dairy products and eggs, which are among the most important daily consumables, was 71.5 percent. The report identified various edible oils with a 145 percent inflation rate as the highest annual inflation record. Another noteworthy point is the inflation of bread and grains, which was accompanied by a 58.3 percent inflation rate, indicating a creeping rise in prices in this sector.