Restarting the Iran ping. On or off ping list.
Posted on 06/27/2007 9:06:33 AM PDT by freedom44
Teheran (dpa) - Riots broke out in Iran in the early hours of Wednesday and some petrol stations were set on fire in the capital Teheran following the government's decision to ration petrol.
According to local press reports, at least five petrol stations in Teheran were set on fire in protest against the rationing. Some banks and supermarkets were also reportedly robbed.
Witnesses said the people also shouted slogans against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is considered as the initiator of the petrol rationing.
The Iranian parliament swiftly reacted to the riots and summoned the oil and interior ministers to investigate the incidents in a secret session.
The oil ministry announced via state-television that necessary grounds would be prepared to prevent any petrol problems for the people. The ministry's promises were, however, based on establishing new oil refineries in the coming years.
As of Wednesday, Iran, one of the world's largest oil producers, started rationing petrol nationwide.
The oil ministry said in a statement that each of the country's around 7 million private cars will get 100 litres per month at 0.108 dollars per litre for normal and 0.151 dollars for super petrol.
The announcement caused huge chaos on Teheran's streets in the late night hours of Tuesday with cars rushing to petrol stations to fill their tanks before the start of the rationing.
Anything above the ration quota was scheduled to be sold at 0.30 to 0.40 dollars per litre or at a floating rate but no final decision has yet been announced in this regard.
The incidents confirmed the government's fears that the move would dent Ahmadinejad's popularity before parliamentary elections in March next year, besides increasing inflation.
Although Iran as a leading OPEC member has a daily oil production of 4.2 million barrels, the Islamic state still spends 5-8 billion dollars annually on petrol imports due to lack of refineries and a preference for oil export.
The first phase of petrol rationing was carried out earlier this month for governmental cars which have a quota of 300 litres per month.
Petrol is only supplied through the so-called "smart card" or petrol coupon, an initiative by Ahmadinejad to stop lavish fuel consumption which currently stands at an estimated 73 million litres daily.
With the initiative Ahmadinejad hopes not only to fill the huge gap in Iran's budget but also to tackle related problems such as traffic jams and pollution in big cities.
Parliament should help the government to end wasteful expenditure, parliament president Gholam-Ali Hadad-Adel.
He added that the measures would help reduce the impact of possible sanctions against Iran because of its controversial nuclear programme.
However, an economic expert said the plan was not thoroughly thought through and was badly executed.
He criticized the president for not resolving the overtaxing of the public transport system, particularly in the large cities. In Teheran the underground rail system, the bus network and taxis have to cater for 13 million people.
"Ahmadinejad is so fixated on the nuclear programme that he has forgotten the basic needs of the people," said a driver in Teheran whose car was built in 1973 and which must transport the man, his wife and their three children.
One of the biggest oil exporters in the region, a commodity the cost of which continues to rise, and they can’t balance their budgets? Apparently they’re using their petro-dollars to light their Cuban cigars.
I wonder how long it will take the Mullahs to blame the US for this problem... Two hours, one hour and 59 minutes, one hour and 58...
Many excellent observations in posts on other threads. Lots of irony, real deal.
Nobody likes a long line at the gas pumps... remember the ‘70’s? (Do I date myself on this or what?)
I would dearly love to see a “French Revolution” pop up in Iran........Maybe this petrol rationing will be their version of “Let them eat cake!”..........
Bangkok Post? next time use an American Source - I am sure this is being abundantly reported in the states (/ sarcasm off)
Millions spent on uranium enrichment to make bombs and they can’t build one or two refineries to serve their own populace? So what do the people do? Burn down gas stations and loot and rob...smart, real smart.
Burning gas stations. . .yeah, that'll ease the rationing. :::eye roll:::
Wall Street Journal
Gas Stations Attacked in Iran
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118295649188150121.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Houston Chronicle
Gas rationing sparks anger in Iran
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4924412.html
Baltimore Sun
Gas stations attacked in Iran
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-irangas0627,0,253070.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines
CBS News, NY
Gas Rationing Raises Iranian Ire
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/27/world/main2986019.shtml
ABC News
Iranians Attack Gas Stations in Protest
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3320223
Forbes, NY
Iranians Attack Gas Stations in Protest
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/06/27/ap3860866.html
TIME
Iranians Attack Gas Stations in Protest
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1637708,00.html
Denver Post
Iranians attack gas stations in protest
http://origin.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_6237820
Aren’t we coming up on some kind of anniversary? July 7th?
WOW! you got me on that. The story must have been cleared for American consumption by CAIR.
IN a few more weeks, they’ll be able to power their vehicles with nuclear energy.
Or camel dung, depending on who’s lying.
That’s about 25 gallons a month. I can’t believe Iranians are driving 30 miles round trip a day. They must be reselling the almost-free gasoline to smugglers (who then move it out of the country for resale), and this rationing is cutting into their income.
They make the South-Central LA thugs look intelligent.
Yes, on Luy 7th, 1980 Sharia Law was introduced in Iran
^^^ Luy = July ^^^
Man I can’t type sometimes.
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