These days Iran regime’s president Ebrahim Raisi and its economic team are continuing the same of the previous president Hassan Rouhani in increasing the prices and aggravating the people’s daily lives. Now the increasing prices of goods are hitting new records.
The red meat’s price has passed the 170,000 tomans each kilo and other price increases are on the way as many of the regime’s media are warning.
Its consumption has also dropped catastrophically. Iran’s Statistics Center wrote in its report:
“Per capita consumption of red meat in Iran has halved over the past 10 years, but this trend of declining purchasing power of citizens has continued since 1979.
“The annual consumption of red meat per Iranian family of four has decreased from 57 kg to 24 kg. This means that each member of the family, in the most optimistic case, consumes an average of 500 grams of fish and 16 grams of red meat a day.” (State-run daily Donya-e Eghtesad, September 1, 2021)
Making each other responsible for this catastrophe
Now the regime’s officials are making thousands of excuses for the situation and laying the blame on each other. Ali Asghar Maleki, president of the Mutton Union, believes that the reason for this price increase is the ongoing exports.
But on the other hand, the CEO of the Light Livestock Union generally denies these rumors and says that we have not exported single livestock yet.
He blamed the lack of coordination between the relevant agencies for the failure in this regard and added: “The Veterinary Organization, Customs, and the Deputy Minister of Commerce of the Ministry of Agriculture Jihad are among the institutions involved in the export process, and the lack of coordination between these institutions has made it impossible for us to succeed in this field, and while passing one stage (problem) a new one appears.” (State-run daily Tejarat, January 1, 2021)
Retirees and employees; 89% of the country’s poor
Now let us imagine that the people forego the consumption of red meat and other meat products which are necessary for their health and use their low income to heal other wounds in their lives. But the question is in this situation that the regime has created will this solve any of the problems?
About this, an economic expert said: “Official reports tell us that 89% of Iran’s poor are former employees. In Iran, we have moved towards the collapse of the base of the production. See what a humiliation they have created for governments that the ceiling of a government’s desire is to provide wages and salaries to employees. (State-run website Taadol, December 2, 2021)
And why is this all happening? The answer to this question can be read in the regime’s media.
“In the Iranian political economy, no element can explain why the scope of corruption is increasing so much as the systematic will to conceal or delete key data that allows for specialized civilian oversight.
“When you make the relations through inflationary policies rent-seeking, marginalize producers, put freeloaders at the forefront, and increase justified inequalities, this vicious circle is automatically activated, leading to a weakening of productivity and a breeding ground for corruption.” (State-run daily Eghtesad Pouya, December 28, 2021)
The underground economy of the side effects of the regime’s corruption
The underground economy in Iran is booming due to the regime’s corruption. The regime is trying to introduce the people as the main operators of this economy. But the reality is that more than 90 percent of it is controlled by the regime.
“The longest period studied to measure the volume of the underground economy in Iran is 40 years from 1974 to 2013. According to this study, the volume of the underground economy has increased from 7 percent of GDP in 1974 to 38.5 percent in 2013.
“Forecasts also indicate the continuation of the upward trend in the sixth program period (2016-2020). One of the reasons for the expansion of the underground economy is the institutional instability in the country. In an inefficient government plagued by widespread corruption, citizens’ trust in the government is severely diminished.” (Eghtesad Pouya, January 1, 2022)
Iran is the only country in the Middle East that is receiving charities
The result of the regime’s economic policies and corruption is that now after 42 years of the mullahs’ rule, Iran is the only country in the Middle East that is receiving charities from rich countries in many fields. And the country is now at the same level as the poorest countries in the world.
In this regard, Mohammad Reza Mahboobfar, an expert in the field of health, has inevitably made confessions that are shocking to any reader. He says the German government has pledged to give the coronavirus vaccine to poor countries, and that Iran is one of them.
“Iran, along with poor countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda, Afghanistan, Mozambique, Madagascar, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Malawi, Chad, Zimbabwe, Guinea, and Rwanda, will receive the coronavirus vaccine from Germany. The vaccine will be donated, or at least part of it will be paid from the fund of COVAX International Vaccination Fund.” (Eghtesad Pouya, January 1, 2022)
