Iranian government spokesman denies gasoline price increase in Kish and Qeshm

The Iranian government spokesman denied reports about the pilot implementation of a plan to increase gasoline prices on the islands of Qeshm and Kish, saying that in these two regions, gasoline quotas will only be allocated to the owner of the vehicle, not the vehicle itself.

Ali Bahadori Jahromi added on Monday, December 10, that the price of gasoline in Kish and Qeshm is "the same as the normal rate of 1,500 tomans for rationed gasoline and 3,000 tomans for free gasoline," and there will be "no difference" from the existing rate.

He also stated that the goal of implementing this plan is to allow people who do not have cars to use fuel quotas with national codes.

Mr. Bahadori explained: "Currently, if someone does not have a car, they cannot use the gasoline quota... but someone who, for example, has four cars uses four times the quota. Naturally, this method is unfair, and the share of someone who cannot afford to buy a car is not seen in the fuel."

His comments came after an hour earlier on Monday, ILNA news agency quoted Fereydoun Abbasi, a representative from Kazerun in the parliament, as saying that the increase in gasoline prices "will be implemented as a pilot in Kish and Qeshm."

Mr. Abbasi added that because incomes vary in these areas, "it might be desirable" for the plan to increase gasoline prices to be "implemented in these places on a trial basis."

Without mentioning the amount of the gasoline price increase, he said that "the ignorance and mismanagement of November 2019 will not be repeated" and that the model that occurred in November 2019 was "done wrong."

He is referring to the November 2019 protests, the bloodiest political and social event in Iran in the last four decades, which occurred following a sudden increase in gasoline prices and was met with severe repression and direct shooting at protesters.

In contrast, the government spokesman called the news about the increase in gasoline prices "fabricated news" and emphasized that it was "not true."

He said: "Gasoline is not going to become more expensive and the government is not looking for overnight decisions," and "if a decision is going to be made that will affect people's daily and general lives, its various aspects will certainly be considered."

The Tejarat News website also wrote in this regard that the government intends to implement the Van plan on the islands of Kish and Qeshm. According to this plan, "a gasoline quota instead of a car will be allocated to each family, and the individuals themselves will decide whether to sell or keep their quota."

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, December 20, the head of the Kish Free Zone Organization's Social and Cultural Deputy denied the news published about the increase in gasoline prices on the islands of Kish and Qeshm.

Regarding Fereydoun Abbasi's statements regarding the implementation of a "pilot" plan to increase gasoline prices in Kish and Qeshm, Hossein Shamsian-Rad said: "I believe that this member of parliament is completely unaware of the details of the gasoline allocation plan based on the national code."

Source: Radio Farda