Azerbaijan, Baku, May 20/Trend M. Moezzi
The beginning of the second phase of Iran's subsidy reform program seems to be delayed for a month.
The phase two of the subsidy reform plan will include higher prices on natural gas, electricity, and petrol was to start on Monday the first day of the Iranian month, Fars news agency reports.
Drivers will have their petrol smart cards re-filled at midnight tonight. But the price will not increase. The smart cards give Iranians a quota of semi-subsidized petrol each month.
Started in December 2011, the subsidy program pays out $37 to Iranians while eliminating subsidies for energy carriers and some commodities. The second phase of the reform program has been recently approved by Iran's Majlis (parliament).