[54547] Aref orders fight against cost of living; public figures demand results on the ground

Aref orders fight against cost of living; public figures demand results on the ground

Following the economic escalation caused by what sources call the "Ramadan War" and the effects of international sanctions, Iranian Vice President Aref has ordered enforcement authorities to take "decisive and uncompromising" measures against phenomena of excessive price gouging and hoarding of goods.

According to reports in channels identified with the establishment such as خبرفوری and آخرین خبر, Aref emphasized during the market regulation headquarters meeting that most merchants and manufacturers are demonstrating fairness during this challenging period, and that the required actions are directed toward a small group of lawbreakers who are exploiting the difficult economic situation.

Conversely, the خراسان آنلاین channel, which presents a critical stance toward the government's conduct, published an article harshly criticizing Aref's statement. In the article, the author, Sadegh Ghafourian, argues that "it is not an achievement if the Vice President repeats the words of the people" and demands that the government present an activity report on concrete steps taken so far.

The criticism in خراسان آنلاین focuses on the gap between government declarations and the actual erosion of the workers' purchasing power. The author wondered: "Does the workers' salary rise in accordance with market conditions, as the prices of goods change every time anew?" while demanding to see results on the ground and not just political statements.