Police Commander Responds to Call for Protest Against Gasoline Price Increase

Following the formation of "long" lines to use 700-toman gasoline, the commander of the police force reacted to the "call published on social media" for a public gathering in protest against the single price of gasoline on Wednesday, stating that no reports of this gathering have been "obtained" so far. According to the Iranian Students' News Agency, ISNA, Hossein Ashtari, the police commander, said on Wednesday, June 6, "People are more aware than to be deceived by a call, and of course, officials are also trying to address the concerns of the public." Based on the Iranian government's decision, from last Tuesday, each liter of regular gasoline is sold at a price of 1,000 tomans and each liter of super gasoline at 1,200 tomans in the country. This decision has already led to reactions, including reports from the "DANA" website about protests against the single price of gasoline, including a gathering of taxi drivers in Zanjan in front of the city's governorate on Wednesday. According to this website, long lines formed in "most cities" on Tuesday evening to use the last of the subsidized 700-toman gasoline. The Khabar Online news agency also reported that following the cancellation of subsidies for taxis, pickups, and public vehicles, "long lines" formed at gas stations on Tuesday evening. Meanwhile, reports of calls for protests against the single price of gasoline have been circulated on social media but have not been reflected in official Iranian media. The Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA, also reported, referencing "public dissatisfaction with the sudden announcement of gasoline prices," that "the key to inflation in the country was triggered by a 40% increase in gasoline prices." Meanwhile, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the government spokesman and head of the Management and Planning Organization, deemed the impact of the gasoline price increase on other goods and services in the country as "negligible," stating that this price increase could affect the inflation rate by "between one to two percent" at its "most pessimistic" estimate. According to ISNA, Mr. Nobakht also responded to criticisms regarding the lack of information about the single price of gasoline, asking, "When should we have informed? For example, should we have said it a month in advance? Then some would have started to sabotage and pressure, which would have resulted in nothing but turmoil in the country." The non-depositing of the June gasoline quota in fuel cards without prior notice and the sudden announcement of the single price of gasoline have led to significant protest reactions on social media and some websites. The government spokesman also pointed to a decrease in the country's oil revenues from $120 billion in previous years to $24 billion, adding, "With this limitation of financial resources, there is no way left but to reform the prices of energy carriers, as mandated by law." According to Mr. Nobakht, the government has a budget deficit of 16 trillion tomans for the implementation of the targeted subsidy law. According to the Islamic Republic's state news network, the government spokesman also announced that the discussion of increasing gasoline prices to 1,200 or 1,500 tomans had been raised in the government, but President Hassan Rouhani did not accept this price increase, and "after presenting the views of economic experts," the government was "convinced" that the subsidized gasoline should be eliminated. Officials in Hassan Rouhani's government have repeatedly emphasized the budget deficit for cash subsidies, yet these subsidies continue to be paid in the country. For instance, Eshaq Jahangiri, the first vice president of Iran, reported in May a 17 trillion toman deficit in the targeted subsidy budget.