Ahmad Khatami, a senior member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, is urging Iranians to show patience in the face of rising prices.
The Mehr News Agency reports that Khatami, who was speaking last night about the sharp rise in prices, called on people to show patience and deny Iran’s enemies the satisfaction of seeing Iranians suffer.
He stressed that “unity of power” is crucial during these critical times and he urged the three branches of government to refrain from disputes.
After the government cut subsidies on energy and food staples, the prices on Iranian goods have risen in growing waves.
Another senior cleric, Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, had spoken out against the rising prices earlier this month, warning the government that the “weaker classes of society are under severe pressure.”
He told the head of Parliament, Ali Larijani, in Qom: “We receive about 2,000 letters and emails on a daily basis expressing various public concerns, especially that of rising prices.”
He said people are critical of the rising prices and blame authorities for not echoing their concerns.
The price of bread has seen a 29-percent increase in some provinces.
Many common grocery items have seen an increase of between 10 and 20 percent in recent months.
