Parliament Research Center: One Third of Iranians Cannot Meet Their Basic Needs

The newspaper 'Donya-e-Eqtesad' reported in an article titled 'The Last Scene of the Poverty Line' that according to the latest report from the Parliament Research Center, 'last year, one-third of Iranians were unable to meet their basic needs.' The report states that the poverty rate increased by 0.4 percent last year, reaching 30.1 percent of Iran's population. According to this report, the poverty rate has grown by more than 10 percent in the 2010s, as it was at 20 percent at the beginning of this decade. Previously, Mohammad Taghi Fayyazi, a macroeconomic expert, in an interview with Khabar Online, rejected the 7.5 percent unemployment rate reported by the 'Statistical Center of Iran,' stating that the actual number of unemployed people exceeds 22 million, with the unemployment rate rising to 45 percent. Donya-e-Eqtesad emphasized that no miracle has occurred in reducing the poverty rate in the last five years, and still, one-third of Iran's population lives in poverty. The report also refers to ineffective economic policies and statistics in Iran, noting that while the economy experienced a 4.5 percent growth in the year 1402, the poverty rate has increased. The report highlights that the main reason for this situation is the high share of oil in economic growth, meaning that economic growth is not widespread in Iran. According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, the rise in the poverty rate indicates that the government's support policies in recent years have not been successful, and the cost of fulfilling subsidy commitments has become a significant burden on the budget. Some experts believe that the main roots of poverty expansion in Iran are macroeconomic instability and high, chronic inflation. In other words, over the past decade, due to the persistence of high inflation, people's economic power has significantly decreased each year, leading to an increase in the poor population. This situation is occurring while the government has not considered economic realities, including inflation, when determining wages in recent years, and by suppressing wages, it has deepened the gap between income and expenses. On the other hand, the government's support policies have also not led to any results, and the most recent electronic coupon system that covered seven deciles of society was completely halted with the rise of the Medicalian government. Regarding various subsidies that are paid under the pretext of supporting the weak and general population, reports indicate that the greatest benefits from these subsidies go to circles of power and economic cartels under the guise of production and imports. Therefore, despite the allocation of preferential currency for importing essential goods and medicines, the prices of these items in the market continue to rise. The Iranian Psychological Society has warned about the mental health disturbances of the people due to past events. Claims from the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company regarding the self-immolation of a seasonal worker: hostile networks have created a narrative. An economic expert stated: the real number of unemployed in the country is '22 million' and the unemployment rate is '45 percent.' The Parliament Research Center's narrative on 'justice in the distribution of poverty'; the community's fall into the abyss of poverty. The wage lag of 120 percent behind inflation over six years.