TEHRAN – A parliamentarian suggested on Monday that freeing up prices should not be just restricted to gas price and it should spread people’s income, especially those with a fixed wage.

Touching upon the Leader’s support for the government’s decision in rationing and raising the gas prices, Gholamali Imenabadi said, “The Leader, in line with his ruling authority, has granted some authorities to the president, the Majlis speaker, and the Judiciary chief. Possibly our Leader has nothing to say regarding gas price rise plan, but regarding the hike in other goods’ prices he has always been concerned.”

Imenabadi, who sits on the Parliament Planning and Budget Committee, went on to say that if the energy price in the country should rise up to its global level, the same story should be applied to other things. 

The MP called on government bodies to intensify their monitoring activities, because regardless of some claims, expenses of services and prices of goods have been increasing in different forms. 

Very late on Thursday, the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) issued a statement to recount details for new prices of fuels in the country, which was followed by another statement on Friday by Vice-President and Head of the Management and Planning Organization (MPO) Mohammad Baqer Nobakht who said that the revenues will be allocated to offering subsidies to 60 million people.

According to the new pricing echelon, the subsidized fee of 10,000 rials (almost 8.3 cents) per liter is increased to 15,000 rials (almost 12.5 cents) per liter, which is offered at a limited rate of 60 liters per month.

However, the price for the non-rationed supply of the gas is still subsidized and below the level of price offered in the majority of neighboring countries. The non-rationed price is set at 30,000 rials (almost 25 cents) per liter and there is no limitation for buying non-rationed fuel.

The statement further added that the price for the compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel gas will remain unchanged.

MJ/PA