By Pooya Stone
The Iranian economy is falling fast due to institutionalized corruption that guides malign economic policies and now even the state-run media is admitting that the regime will find it hard to escape the hole they have dug for themselves.
The state-run Eghtesad online wrote an article called “Paradox of Iran’s economy” where they stated that the regime’s policies are in contradiction of “the principles of Islam, the constitution and the values of the revolution”, noting that the regime’s policies “promote huge illicit profits, justifying macroeconomic destabilization and price shocks under the pretext of price liberalization”.
Another problem is the financial institutions linked to the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and supreme leader Ali Khamenei or their affiliates, which allows them to make a great deal of profit that is then spent on terrorism and warmongering.
Iranian economics professor Hossain Raghfar told the state-run Hamshari-Online: “Unfortunately, in the last three decades, in the name of an open society, we have witnessed the establishment of a looting economy in the society and the group that comes to power … They have created widespread corruption in the country, and the lower and middle classes are paying its main cost.
From January 2018 to November 2019, events took place in the country that was practically a reaction to ignoring the people’s basic needs for three decades and not responding to their demands. Unfortunately, the news indicates the widespread growth of insecurity and poverty in society. These problems manifest themselves in various forms, including increased addiction, suicide, the growth of social ills, divorce, and the rise of women and street children, and brain drain.”
Indeed, the regime has deliberately ignored the plight of the Iranian people, who are just desperately looking for “opportunities to survive”, which means that more protests are to be expected. Essentially, the country is a powder keg and one single spark could set off a revolution.
The state-run Daraya news agency wrote: “Iran has the worst inequality in the whole world. This is due to rising exchange rates and wrong policies in the public sector, which have led to livelihood damage, mental illness, widespread insecurity, and crime growth. Unfortunately, the situation has reached a certain point that, with the current economy, a significant part of the society, to meet their basic needs, due to the huge inequalities, has to look for the opportunity to survive, let alone equal opportunities.”
Regime official Mohammad-Reza Mortazavi said that “social hatred” in the middle classes will turn to resentment and will grow into a revolution like that of 1979.
The state-run Mostaghel daily wrote: “This nation will not forget how it was abandoned during [the COVID-19 pandemic] bitter days. This will affect future incidents. Soon, people will come to their table for eating, and their despair of an empty table will lead them to protest on busy streets.”
Read More:
Iran Government’s Economic Misery Through the Lens of State Media
