TEHRAN, Iran, Nov.26
Trend:
A member of Iranian parliament at Energy Committee said that there is a possibility of a change in the rate of gasoline price in the future.
"To prevent fuel trafficking, a fuel card solution was proposed, but expert analyzes on the subject should have been considered long before the plan is enforced,” spokesperson of Energy Committee of Iranian Parliament Sakine Almasi told Trend.
“Unfortunately, due to the lack of liquidity, the government had to increase the gasoline price at once, but this was not the appropriate way to raise money as the government had to prepare the society, the people and the parliament first, and then take action,” Almasi said.
“Governments did not anticipate this reaction from the public,” said the spokesperson. “The government did so for low-income classes of society that endured much economic pressure.”
Almasi went on to say that the government predicted that the increase in gasoline price would lead to increase in subsides of the low-income classes.
Referring to the impact of the rise in gasoline prices on reducing the smuggling and increasing the gasoline exports, the MP said that gasoline exports have been going on in the past, as the Persian Gulf Star Refinery project is being finalized.
“If the goal of rising petrol price was to reduce the number of cars and the reduction of air pollution, all officials need to re-examine the procedure as it did not happen,” she said.
"There is a possibility of a change in the rate of gasoline in the future, but, of course, this is not yet certain. The price has been announced, but there can be changes in 60-liter monthly quota or the rate itself,” Almasi added.
Iranian authorities abruptly raised fuel prices by up to 50% and imposed fuel rationing. Iranian authorities have allocated a limit of 60 liters per month for every private car at about 35 cents per liter, and beyond that quota, the price jumps to 71 cents per liter.