Ankara/14.05.22/Anadolu: Protests continue in various cities of Iran due to rising food prices and shortages of certain foodstuffs. In Iran, protests against higher prices for basic foodstuffs after the removal of subsidies by the government have spread across the country's provinces.
Protests took place in the cities of Burujard and Durud of Loristan province, Junkan and Farsan of Cheharmahal Bakhtiari province, Kohgiluy and Dehdesht of Bayer Ahmed province.
Footage posted on social media shows security forces responding with tear gas to demonstrators chanting slogans against the country's rulers and government, opening fire to disperse crowds in the towns of Buruserd and Farsan.
Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi, speaking on state television, said the demonstrations were not large-scale: "Our people did not answer the calls of the enemies. Only a few dozen people gathered."
- The government's decision to eliminate subsidies led to higher prices
A total of 900 trillion tumens (about $30 billion at free market rates) were paid in the country in subsidies a year, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA.
Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi on May 9, as part of the fight against the economic crisis, announced the end of subsidies for essential goods.
The removal of subsidies for basic foodstuffs has led to higher prices in the country. In his statement, Raisi said that prices for traditional Iranian bread, medicines and gasoline would not change. Despite this, there were reports in the local press that bread prices had risen up to 3 times. While the prices of butter, eggs and chicken have almost quadrupled in the country, shortages have flared up in some foods.
Due to high prices for basic foodstuffs, the cities of Dezful, Susengerd, Endimeshk, Ize in the province of Khuzestan, where the Arab population is concentrated, as well as the cities of Yasuk in the province of Kohgiluy and Bayer Ahmed, are engulfed in protests.
According to IRNA, 15 people were detained last night because of rallies in the city of Dezful, and 7 people who "attempted to manipulate protesters at rallies in order to damage public property" in the city of Yasouk.
Access to interner in the cities where the rallies took place is limited. London-based website Netblock, which monitors global internet access, confirmed on its Twitter account that there are restrictions on internet services in Iran. --0--
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