The Latest from Iran (5 April): The Economy, Anyone?

1547 GMT: More news on Ebrahim Yazdi, the former leader of the Freedom Movement of Iran who was detained from early October until 20 March. This week, he gave an "interview" that alarmed many members of the Green Movement. (see our coverage on April 3)

Today, several sources are reporting that Yazdi has condemned the interview, given to IRNA without his consent while he was being detained in a "safe house." Also, Abdol-Ali Bazargan, a leader of the Freedom Movement in exile, presumably close to Yazdi, has said that the interview was faked, a montage of statements that has no credibility. 

1531 GMT: MP Hamidreza Katouzian, head of energy committee, has released a statement that, without proper investment, Iran will become the largest importer of oil and related products. He also said that subsidy cuts were generally positive, but that the lack of refunds will put Iranian industry in dire condition. 

1525 GMT: The Supreme Leader's younger brother, reformist Seyed Hadi Khamenei, has sent Mir Hossein Mousavi a letter of condolences after the death of his father last week. Hadi Khamenei is highly critical of, and estranged from, his brother.

1456 GMT: Check Engine - Oil Light is On:

Ghassem Noudeh Farahani, the head of domestic guilds, has announced that he predicts prices on all goods to increase by 15-20% this year alone.

MP Moayed Hosseini-Sadr, a member of the Energy Committee, has criticised the formula for deriving the price of gas, claiming that the way many are calculating the price of gas is not legal. The government has increased gas prices up to 40 times higher than previous, although there was only a shallow rise in price expected. Hosseini-Sadr said that gas prices should not exceed 90% of the exported gas price.

High gas prices have forced the free bakeries in the city of Khoy, and perhaps elsewhere, to stop business.

1444 GMT: The 62 billion dollar question: MP Gholam-Reza Mesbahi-Moghaddam has said that more than half of the subsidy cut refunds have not been withdrawn, and Ahmadinejad is taking money from the state reserves to offset the missing balance. According to Mesbahi-Moghaddam, people have not claimed 1/2 of the $80 ($40 per month for 2 months) each that Government gave in support payments to offset effects of subsidy cuts. He accused Ahmadinejad of stealing the money to use for his own purposes, and called the act illegal. 

1423 GMT: Spite? Iranian MP Mohammad Reza Hossein-Nejad has reminded Ahmadinejad that there are only 15 days remaining to name a new Transportation Minister, after the last one was impeached. Hamid Behbahani was impeached in February over high rates of traffic accidents and airplane crashes. The juicy political news, however, is that neither Behbahani nor President Ahmadinejad were present during the impeachment vote.

1400 GMT: Radio Zamaneh is reporting that Ghassem Sholeh Saadi, professor at Tehran University who attempted to run for president in 2009 but was disqualified, has been arrested at the airport upon returning to Iran. No reason was given for his arrest, though he was also detained for 36 days in 2002 for criticising Khamenei. 

The cartoon of the day - Translation correction. Ahadminejad tells the other countries in the Middle East - More "nice" economic news to follow...

Ahmadinejad tells the world governments that oppress their people have no chance to survive.

سه شنبه ۱۶ فروردين ۱۳۹۰

سخنان محمود در باره سرکوب‌گران منطقه

0400 GMT: President Ahmadinejad has held his first show of the new Iranian year, with a press conference on Monday. State news agency IRNA continues to give Ahmadinejad top billing, above even the Supreme Leader, and summarises the show's theme: "Obama Will Suffer the Same Fate as the Infamous Bush. A New Middle East Without Israel and US Hegemony is Forming. There is a New American Conspiracy to Break Up Jordan."

Nothing too surprising in those talking points. What is notable, however, is how detached they are from the primary issue of Iran's economy.

And that may be because of the disconnect because of the President's economic  promise and reality. Ahmadinejad offered the grandiose declaration of 2 1/2 million new jobs and a 40% increase in non-oil output, buttressed by his predication of an oil price of $150/barrel. Meanwhile, reports came into EA from two well-placed sources in Iran of spiralling prices and, in the words of one of the correspondents, a "dire" situation as people awaited the full effect of subsidy cuts.

That, however, seemed to be removed from the front-line rhetoric. The Supreme Leader did his bit yesterday by pardoning 601 prisoners in honour of last Saturday's National Republic Day, while the opposition Green Hope Coordinating Council issued a statement of support for "democracy movements" in North Africa and the Middle East.