Former Iranian President Khatami Slams Government Over Surging Inflation

Iran’s former President Mohammad Khatami has slammed the government over the country's skyrocketing inflation rate, now exceeding 52%, marking an 80-year high.

“The issue of inflation, increasing liquidity, and other problems have grown day by day and now reached an extremely worrying level. I hope the country's leaders are concerned enough to solve it," Jamaran website quoted him as saying.

In a dialogue with university professors and experts, Khatami criticized the government's approach to economic reforms, particularly the reduction of subsidies which he argued should have been implemented gradually to shield the society from adverse effects.

The current administration's efforts led by President Ebrahim Raisi have fallen short of curbing the inflation crisis, despite assurances during the election period. The Ham-Mihan newspaper highlighted that such an inflation level is unprecedented since 1943.

Further compounding the economic strain, a study from the Parliament Research Center revealed a widening gap between the minimum wage and the poverty threshold across various provinces, including Tehran, Alborz, and Qom.

According to the study, families of three living in these regions are finding it increasingly difficult to meet basic living expenses under the current economic conditions. Nationally, at least one third of the country is living below the poverty line as even the once middle classes are plunging into economic despair. 

The report also pointed to significant nutritional deficits among the Iranian population, with half failing to meet the daily recommended calorie intake of 2,100 calories—a problem exacerbated by inflation-driven rises in food and housing costs.