A few hours after the surprise announcement by the government of a rise in gas prices, demonstrations erupted on Friday, November 15 in several cities in Iran.
The demonstrations were "significant" in Sirjan, in the center of the country where "people attacked a gas depot in the city and tried to set it on fire" before the police intervened to stop them. Demonstrations also took place in the north at Machhad, in the south at Ahvaz, Shiraz, Bandar Abbas and Birjand in the east, but also in Gachsaran, Abadan, Khoramshahr and Mahshahr in the south-west.
Protesters blocked roads but rallies were limited in size and dispersed around midnight, according to the official Irna news agency.
A measure for redistribution
On Friday, the Iranian government announced an increase of at least 50% in the price of gasoline, which was previously set at 10,000 rials, or less than eight cents. It will now be 15,000 rials (eleven cents) for a maximum of 60 liters per month. Each additional liter will cost 30,000 rials (22 euro cents).
Iran is one of the countries where gasoline is the most subsidized. The benefits of rising gas prices must be redistributed to Iranians who are facing economic difficulties, nearly 75 percent of the population, according to President Hassan Rohani.
The measure is expected to bring 300,000 billion rials (about 2.3 billion euros) a year, State Planning and Budget Officer Mohammad Bagher Nobakht told state television.
Amounts paid to some 60 million Iranians will go from 550,000 rials (about 4.2 euros at the free market rate) for couples to 2 million rials (15.8 euros) for households of five or more people.
With AFP