The Iranian economy continues its steep decline in the last month of Hassan Rouhani’s presidency, despite claims to the contrary by the regime, and the situation has become so dire that the state media is now showing its fear of how the Iranian people will react.
The Jahan-e Sanat wrote that the average inflation rate in April reached 41%, according to the Statistics Center, breaking the previous record, which in turn led to an increase in prices.
It wrote: “41% inflation rate in April indicates few things. At least in the second half of last year, rising liquidity and the monetary base have been behind the rising inflation. As changes in monetary units gradually affect inflation, inflation is expected to continue to surpass 40% in the coming months.”
It then explained that the rising inflation rate will cause prices to soar and purchasing power to plummet, undermining any rise in salary and, ultimately, threatening people and the country at large.
Several other outlets spoke specifically to the increased cost of food, which is causing problems for the middle and working classes, as well as retirees, who are barely able to cope with their basic expenses.
The Resalat daily wrote: “The rampant rise in prices and the decline in the purchasing power of the people have made the life of the workers very difficult. Workers, while suffering from job insecurity, are in dire need of housing and clothing.”
They then quoted Faramarz Tofighi, Chairman of the Wage Committee of the Islamic Labor Council, as saying that 63% of the country are workers, who are being priced out of goods like meat, rice, and dairy, even if they make the highest wages that they can.
The economy is in such a bad state because the regime makes terrible economic policies, but also spends the people’s money on terrorism and warfare; meeting the budget deficit by printing more money, which actually just increases liquidity.
Economist Farshad Momeni said: “Improper and ill-considered decision-making methods have faced the country with a lot of corruption and inefficiencies. It is safe to say those wrong policies that create inflation since they are anti-production and based on injustice are roots of all small and big problems of Iran’s economy.”
It seems clear that the Iranian people know that the regime is responsible for the economic situation, which is why they are heeding the call to boycott the election.
