Iran's Culture Ministry's Budget Soars Despite Economic Struggles

President Ebrahim Raisi’s administration has increased the budget allocated to the Iranian Ministry of Culture by more than 300%, causing widespread controversy.

Whilst economic challenges persist across the country, Raisi announced that the current budget of $24 million will be increased to a staggering $80 million.

Culture Minister Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili said, "When we took over the government, the budget was 12,000 billion rials, but currently, the ministry's budget has increased to 40,000 billion rials."

Esmaili explained that this dramatic increase was, in part, due to the allocation of one percent of the budget of banks and state companies to cultural endeavors, which, if realized, could dwarf the Ministry of Culture's budget by several multiples.

However, this substantial boost in cultural funding has been met with criticism, especially in light of Iran's ongoing economic woes.

A considerable portion of Iran's population continues to live below the poverty line, with analysts citing the government's inability to address the economic crisis effectively.

Iran has grappled with high inflation rates that have exceeded 40% for several years. This dire economic situation has severely impacted the purchasing power of salary earners, whose wages have experienced only marginal increases.

Consequently, the majority of Iranians are facing economic hardship, struggling to afford basic necessities like meat, fruits, and vegetables, with consumption levels plummeting by half.

Moreover, hundreds of millions of dollars are allocated annually to seminaries and various religious organizations to disseminate the clerical regime's propaganda, further fueling concerns about resource allocation amidst economic hardship.