Iran deputy seeks transparency on subsidies cut plan, Mehr says

Bloomberg: A member of Iran’s Parliament has criticized the government for its lack of transparency in implementing a plan to cut energy and food subsidies and direct part of the cash to poorest Iranians, Mehr reported.

By Ladane Nasseri

Oct. 28 (Bloomberg) — A member of Iran’s Parliament has criticized the government for its lack of transparency in implementing a plan to cut energy and food subsidies and direct part of the cash to poorest Iranians, Mehr reported.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government needs to “clarify ambiguities before taking any step,” Gholamreza Mesbahi- Moghadam, a member of the parliament’s economic committee said yesterday, according to the state-run news agency.

Iran plans to eliminate subsidies on fuel, electricity and basic consumer goods over the course of five years. The government says it will compensate for the plan’s inflationary repercussions by paying grants to low-income families. It hasn’t however specified when caps will be lifted or by how much prices will rise.