Parliamentary Commission Rejects Government Proposal for Fuel Price Increase

Media in Iran report that the report of the Joint Commission on the government's budget bill has been completed, and in this report, the proposal to increase fuel prices, including gasoline, has been rejected. According to the Fars News Agency, the review of the national budget bill for 2018 in the Joint Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly has been completed, and the report of this commission is finalized for submission to the open session of the parliament. Now, parliament representatives must submit their proposals regarding this report to the parliamentary leadership for review within ten days. In this regard, the Tasnim News Agency reports that one of the most important decisions of this commission regarding next year's budget is the non-increase of gasoline and energy carrier prices and the determination of cash subsidy payments to high-income individuals. The Iranian Students' News Agency, ISNA, mentions among the most important decisions of the Joint Commission the determination of a $55 price for oil and a 3,500 tomans exchange rate for the dollar, the non-increase of energy carrier prices in 2018, and an 11 trillion tomans reduction in targeted subsidy revenues. According to ISNA's report, this reduction in revenue from the targeted subsidy law is equivalent to cutting subsidies for 33 million people. The prohibition of salary increases for officials next year, a tiered salary increase, and setting an 18% ceiling for employee salary increases, as well as establishing tax exemptions for salaries below 2,300,000 tomans per month for employees and below 1,800,000 tomans per month for businesses, are among other decisions of the Joint Commission regarding the 2018 budget. Earlier, in late December of this year, the government's information base announced in a report that in the 2018 budget bill, one of the ways to secure resources for job creation was the increase in gasoline and diesel prices to 1,500 and 400 tomans per liter, respectively. Thus, the price of gasoline and diesel would reach the FOB price of the Persian Gulf. The FOB price of the Persian Gulf is the price of imported or exported gasoline in the ports of the Persian Gulf. Currently, the price of regular gasoline in Iran is 1,000 tomans, and only after the approval of the parliament and the Guardian Council can the price increase plan be implemented. Following the government's announcement, the vice president of the Energy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly considered the parliament's approval for a 50% increase in fuel prices as 'unlikely' and stated that in conditions where 'people are unemployed, there is no reason to normalize gasoline prices.' A week later, protests and demonstrations began in more than a hundred cities in Iran against rising prices and the poor living conditions of the people, which lasted nearly two weeks and resulted in 25 deaths and thousands of arrests. The review of the national budget bill for 2018 began on Sunday, January 28, in the parliament, and representatives are set to review next year's income and expenditures in two working shifts. According to predictions made in Iranian media, before February 11, the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution, the budget will be finalized and sent to the Guardian Council for approval. In this context, what are the implications of President Rouhani's promise to cut gasoline imports from the beginning of next year? What are the consequences of societal concerns over rising fuel prices? The changing landscape of 'proxy wars'; the war against the people in the streets of Iran. The crisis in Iran; the responsibility of the opposition and the possibility of radicalizing Iranian society. The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iranian crisis. Internet shutdown in Iran has exceeded 300 hours; reports of 'evidence' of the killing of injured patients under treatment. Accounts from three witnesses about the situation in Isfahan province; 'like war-torn areas.' The death of the last Mossad representative in Tehran amid the Iranian crisis. Trump emphasizes 'stopping executions in Iran': we do not know what will happen in the future. Trump announced an agreement to hold a meeting about Greenland in Davos.