Widening Gap Between Government Promises and Economic Realities; Media: Officials Speak of a 'Different Iran'

Less than two weeks after Ebrahim Raisi promised once again that 'inflation will definitely decrease,' some government media wrote: 'The economic situation described by officials belongs to a different Iran.' The newspaper 'Jomhouri Eslami' published in Tehran and close to the traditional clergy ruling Iran, in its issue today, Wednesday, January 10, stated: 'Inflation and high prices are the result of a wrong performance. Whether during the reformists' era or under the rule of conservatives, it is wrong.' This media outlet, which is funded by public assets, continued: 'Inflation and high prices are not relative; they cannot be considered 'the blasphemy of Satan' during Hassan Rouhani's time, while in Ebrahim Raisi's time, they become a value that, so to speak, the values do not dare to criticize.' Ebrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic, on January 7, at the 'Assembly of Teachers' conference, claimed: 'We are controlling excessive withdrawals from the Central Bank,' and asserted: 'Inflation will definitely decrease.' The Jomhouri Eslami newspaper noted that 'they say inflation is around 40 percent,' but asked: 'On which product can one point out that the price has increased less than this figure since last year?' The newspaper further emphasized: 'In the food market, records are increasing every moment.' This media outlet stated: 'The market speaks the truth' and 'only the market tells the truth,' stressing that prices 'are not necessarily what appears on paper; it must be understood with flesh, skin, and bones in the market.' Ebrahim Raisi had also claimed on June 20 of this year in an interview with the Islamic Republic's broadcasting service that 'indicators show inflation has been controlled, and God willing, it will decrease.' According to Jomhouri Eslami, what government officials say and the statistics they announce 'belong to a different Iran; otherwise, in our Iran, prices are something else. There is no news about the announcements made.' In this context, Hossein Goudarzi, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, on January 7, addressed Ebrahim Raisi in a public session, stating: 'People will not tolerate inflation above 40 percent and the rising prices of food and living essentials, especially meat costing 600,000 tomans per kilogram,' and urged him to act 'before it is too late.' Iranian media reported on January 19 that the 'misery index' had increased in 14 provinces of the country during the fall of this year compared to the same period last year. According to this report, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province had the highest and Tehran province the lowest level of misery. The slogan 'High prices, inflation, a scourge for the people' was chanted at a gathering of retired civil servants in Yazd. The shadow of inflation and high prices loomed over Christmas celebrations in Iran. A union official stated that the new year would begin with high prices for legumes. The continued rise in bread prices; an economist reported a 140 trillion toman subsidy for bread. The price of bread in Iran; Taftoon in Khuzestan increased by '30 percent.' A member of parliament reported ongoing issues with the supply of medicine and baby formula. Criticism of the 'fabricated statistics' of Raisi's government; a newspaper close to the IRGC stated: 'Elections are approaching, pay attention to livelihoods.'