Less than a month of contradictory news and denial of rumors about the increase in price of bread, and after the news of “undeclared increase in the price of bread” in the first half of July, on Wednesday, August 2, state television announced the increase in the price of bread in 13 provinces. At the same time, the deputy governor of Tehran tried announcing there is no news about raising the price of bread in Tehran, to dampen the anger of the fed-up people. This clearly indicates the regime’s fear of the consequences of raising price of bread, and how they manipulate news in order unofficially increase the price of bread, the item that the livelihood of people depends on it.
Earlier, on July 25, Fars News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, wrote, “This morning, suddenly, the price of bread has increased in Khorasan Razavi province. The published table of the new price list of bread in Khorasan-Razavi province indicates an increase of about 40% in the price of all types of bread. For example, until yesterday, the traditional subsidized Barbari bread was sold at the price of 8,500 rials. Now it is sold to households for 12,000 rials.”
Since angering hungry people costs a lot for the regime, they tried with contradictory news and highlighting the livelihood problems of bakers to steadily proceed with the project of increasing the price of bread.
A local in Mashhad told the PMOI website, “When I went to the Sangak (another type of bread commonly used in Iran) bakery to buy bread, I was surprised to see that the price of this subsidized bread, which was 14,000 rials, has increased to 20,000 rials. The next day, I went to another bakery that baked semi-subsidized bread, I had to pay 27,000 rials for one loaf of bread that I used to buy it for 20,000 rials. Unsatisfied customers usually start cursing Khamenei and Raisi after receiving their bread. I told one of my acquaintances who was waiting in the line, ‘Did you notice how slowly they raised the price?’ In response he said, ‘They first spread rumors about raising the price, then deny it, and now that people are in religious ceremonies, the officials use this as opportunity to raise the price.’ At any rate, they know it well that they can’t fool around with this item because the livelihood for deprived people depends on it…”
By looking at the contradictory and ambiguous news, the following reports shows the fear of state-run media and regime officials from the existing explosive in the society:
- Advisor to the Minister of Economy—June 7: “There is no news about the price of bread”
- Tasnim News Agency—July 9: “Any increase in the price of bread is prohibited and violators will punished.”
- Vice-Chairman of Grain Science and Technology Association—July 26: “Different provinces have changed the price of bread based on their choices.”
- Quds website—July 27: “It was previously announced that the price of flour will not change, but no one said that the price of bread will not change.”
- Shargh TV network—July 7: “The price of bread will change by the end of August. “
- Islamic Republic newspaper—July 9: “The plan to increase the price of bread is not related to Khorasan Razavi province and will be implemented gradually throughout the country.”
- Aftab government website—August 3: “The rise of price of bread has reached Golestan province… Why did the interior minister deny the increase in the price of bread? “
The slow increase of bread and the ruthless looting of the last bit of the people’s empty tables is not without cost. At the time that poverty is distributed among the people and they are deprived from earning a loaf of bread, every hungry person has potential to be a spark for the next uprising. It is not without reason that many regime media are warning about the current explosive situation and the danger of the uprising by hungry people. In an article entitled, “Be afraid of the distribution of poverty among the people,” the Islamic Republic newspaper warned, “Be afraid of the day that army of hungry people rise against you. At least think about your own survival and governance.”
