Approximately one month after the promises made by Iranian regime’s officials not to change the price or rationing of gasoline in Iran, Tasnim News Agency, linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that the rationing of subsidized gasoline (approximately $0.05) on personal fuel cards has been reduced from 150 liters to 100 liters.
Tasnim News Agency announced this news on Monday, January 22, stating that the reserve for the 15,000-rials (approximately $0.02) gasoline ration has also been reduced to six months and a maximum of 360 liters. Previously, the reserve period was nine months with a maximum of 540 liters.
Tasnim News Agency emphasized that it is not possible to store more than 360 liters of the 15,000-rials gasoline ration on fuel cards, and if a fuel card has this amount of ration, the new ration will not be deposited into the card in the coming months.
ISNA News Agency also confirmed the reduction of the 30,000-rial gasoline (approximately $0.05) ration on fuel cards from 150 liters to 100 liters and attributed the reason to “combating smuggling.” The news agency quoted Jafar Salarinasab, the CEO of the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, who stated that “this issue has no relation to the monthly 60-liter ration.”
Some Iranian media have described this reduction in gasoline ration as “sudden” because there was no prior announcement or communication regarding this matter.
The unexpected change in the fuel card storage limit affects both passenger cars and motorcycles.
This decision by the Ministry of Oil comes approximately one month after the nationwide hacking of fuel stations in Iran. Previously, Jaleel Salari, the CEO of the National Iranian Refining and Oil Products Distribution Company, had rejected the government’s decision to reduce gasoline rations.
A protest gathering of truck drivers took place on November 28, 2023, in Tehran in response to fuel shortages. During this gathering, slogans such as “Incompetent officials, resign, resign” were chanted.
During the hacking of fuel stations in Iran, people were forced to purchase fuel at market prices, which is several-fold more expensive.
Due to the transportation of goods and the transportation systems in Iran, the price of fuel is one of the main factors in determining the prices of other goods, and its increase directly affects the rising prices of other commodities.
Government decisions regarding fuel rationing and gasoline price increases have led to protests at various times.
The largest of these protests occurred in November 2019 after the regime suddenly hiked the price of fuel by 300%. During the protests, which spread across the country, Iranian regime security forces killed 1,500 protesters.
Information indicates that security forces are seeking to minimize protests following the reduction of gasoline rationing and the increase in free market prices by distributing gasoline subsidies among households without cars and facilitating its sale at market prices.
