TEHRAN – An Iranian parliamentarian said on Monday that those who protested against increase in gas price definitely have nothing to share with those who embarked on damaging public property and attacking security forces.

Fatemeh Hosseini, who was addressing the Monday open session in the Majlis, said, “Certainly, the path of those people who were unsatisfied ( with the hike in gas price) and protested (against the plan) is completely separate from the path of those thugs who embarked on looting and setting fire on the public properties and harmed public feelings too.”

Touching upon Article 113 of the constitution based on which the country’s president is responsible for the implementation of the constitution, the Tehraners’ representative in the Majlis said, “Why did you do nothing to materialize Article 27 of the constitution which lays emphasis on legality of peaceful gatherings?”

In relevant remarks, Tehran Friday prayers leader said based on Article 27 of Iran’s constitution the people are entitled to hold peaceful gatherings and rallies provided that “principles of Islam” are not targeted. 

The constitution’s chapter III (Article 19 to 42) refers to the rights of the Iranian people saying, “Article 27 provides for freedom of assembly, provided that arms are not carried and the assemblies are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam. The law shall determine the details of this exception.”

Ayatollah Seyed Ahmad Khatami said, “Nobody is against protests. No one confronted the protestors, but it was clear that some rioters embarked on riding on the protests’ waves.”
 
Group of people in certain cities across the country took to the streets after the government announced a rise in subsidized gas prices.

“The protests occurred following the gas price rise. The decision was made by heads of the three branches of the government (the president, the parliament speaker, and the judiciary chief),” Khatami explained. “However,” he added, “We must accept that the decision could be implemented in a better way. This is fair to accept reality. The (decision-makers) could justify the people (about positive impacts of their decision). Our people understand and accept the reality.”

On November 14, at night time, the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) issued a statement to recount details for new prices of gasoline in the country, which was followed by another statement by Vice-President and Head of the Management and Planning Organization (MPO) Mohammad Baqer Nobakht who said that the revenues from price increase would be paid in the form cash subsidy to 60 million people.

According to the new formula, 60 liters of gasoline per month is priced at 1500 tomans and any amount more than that 3000 tomans.

The rationed 60 liters is increased by 50 percent and the rest 200 percent.   

Despite the substantial increase, Iran still has the cheapest gasoline in the world.

MJ/PA