Poverty affects a substantial portion of Iran’s population, and as activities like garbage collecting expand it has become a common job with low incomes especially for children who are the first victims of poverty created by the mullahs.
This is the result of an unequal distribution of wealth and huge class disparities. The recycling mafia exploits the poor intentionally.
A mafia in the hands of the administration of the municipalities and recycling plants. The state-run daily Arman wrote about this on February 4, “Today’s Iranian society is polarized into two categories: the rich and poor.” This means that the middle class is disappearing.
It added, “The implications of this class gap are clear, as the rich are getting richer and the weak are getting weaker. For example, an imbalance between the body and the soul is like an imbalance between the shape and content of society, and this imbalance eventually causes serious harm to the soul and the body and destroys both.”
On February 2, 2022, the state-run daily Jahan-e Sanat echoed the same thing, “The average per capita income of Iranians has reached $ 2,200 per year. However, that does not mean that the per capita income for all Iranians is fair and equals $ 2,200 per year. Many of the country’s income deciles have much lower per capita incomes – up to one-eleventh of this figure per year.
“The average income of employees, retirees with the 250,000 rials to a dollar exchange rate and 50 million rials per month is about 600 rials per year, which is less than about 2,200 dollars per year. This figure will undoubtedly be lower for the working class.”
In contrast to the plight of the poor, we see the astronomical incomes of the regime’s officials. This situation has created a society in Iran that is submerged in economic crises and odd and menial jobs. This explains why the ads to sell kidneys and other organs are covering up the city walls.
According to different statements, collected from the regime officials, 24 million people are without any income, more than 16 million people only source of income is a subsidy of 450,000 rials (about $2), and less than eight million people receive e,500,000 rials in pensions from the Welfare Organization or the Relief Committee.
This means that now nearly 50 million people live below the poverty line. And forecasts about the country’s economic situation say that soon more people will fall from the middle class to the lower class. Of course, these figures are not entirely true, as the media and government experts admit that the Ministry of Welfare never correctly announces the poverty line figure out of fear of public outrage.
In discussing poverty in Iran, the state-run daily Aftab News wrote on January 6, “In the past, the absolute poverty line was about 100 million rials, which can increase up to 120 million rials due to the recent soaring prices and the lack of salary increases.
“Other official statistics show that between 20 and 30 million people in the country are below the absolute poverty line. If this situation continues and there is no change in economic policies, these figures will increase daily. However, it will be out of control in the future. Ninety percent of Iranians experience poverty in different ways throughout their lives. Even if they earn more than 120 million rials, they have experienced poverty in many ways.”
This situation is the result of the 43-year –rule of the mullahs, who promised a prosperous nation to the people under the ‘rule of the oppressed’ in the first few days after the 1979 revolution.
The regime’s Association of Combatant Clerics stated in a statement commemorating the anniversary of the 1979 revolution and published by the state-run website Ensaf News on February 1, “Today our society faces major economic, political, cultural and international crises. The middle-class is shrinking and pushed into the poor class with every passing moment.
“We are seeing the emergence of irresponsible classes, individuals, or institutions that enhance their standing, particularly through the pursuit of profits and the abuse of destructive sanctions.
“People say: ‘Forget your promises of the free water, electricity and affordable housing and focus on our most basic needs. People are suffering from unemployment, stagflation, poverty, and despair. And the shameful and massive corruption combined with the waste of natural and human capital is a great danger that threatens the country and the nation.”
