At the same time as the increase in the price of the US dollar, gold coins, and the rise in some food prices, Iranian regime officials in the energy sector announced a gradual increase in water prices, stating that the price of water will increase by up to 55%. Earlier, Massoud Pezeshkian, the president of the Iranian regime, had defended the increase in gasoline prices.
State media in Iran reported on Monday, October 7, that the government has approved “new tariffs” for water and electricity, stating that these decisions will be implemented “after final approval.”
According to the Iranian regime’s official news agency, IRNA, the Ministry of Energy stated that the goal of the tiered water pricing is “to encourage excessive consumers to manage their consumption better,” and “the highest tier will see a 55% increase” in prices. However, Firouz Ghasemzadeh, a spokesperson for the water industry, claimed that “the tariffs for low consumers will not change.”
The announcement of rising prices of essential goods, including water, for Iranian citizens comes amid ongoing livelihood problems and the shrinking of household budgets, even as, in recent days, Iranian regime officials have announced that they sent tens of tons of aid shipments to Lebanon.
The water shortage and energy crisis, which many observers attribute to the regime’s mismanagement, have not only caused livelihood challenges for the people but also endangered Iran’s environment.
According to the head of the Earthquake and Risk Department at Iran’s Road, Housing, and Urban Development Research Center, all provinces in Iran are facing the risk of land subsidence, and there is “only 5 to 10 years left” to mitigate this phenomenon.
As a result of the water crisis and the spread of land subsidence, Iran’s habitable areas are continuously shrinking.
Simultaneous with the announcement of the increase in water prices in Iran, the Iranian Dairy Products Association reported a “30% increase in dairy product prices” and a minimum 14% rise in the cost of dairy products.
The increase in water prices, along with the rising costs of dairy and meat products, comes after earlier rumors of a gasoline price hike. Massoud Pezeshkian said, “There is no logic in buying gasoline at the free-market dollar rate and selling it to people with subsidies.”
Some observers suggest that the Iranian regime has handed over tasks that Ebrahim Raisi did not dare to undertake to Massoud Pezeshkian.
The announcement of water price hikes comes amid the spread of protests by various labor groups, including retirees, industrial workers, teachers, victims of financial fraud, nurses, and healthcare workers, which in recent months have reflected the increasing livelihood challenges in Iran and the neglect by Iranian regime officials.
