New Year priorities: Tehran focused on turmoil at home, not nuclear program
Christian Science Monitor / Scott Peterson
31-Dec-2010 (9 comments)

In Washington and European capitals, top New Year priorities on Iran may be Tehran’s nuclear program, and the next round of talks in Istanbul in late January.

But for Iran’s leadership, 2011 promises to be a year of significant domestic challenges, as President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presides over a precipitous series of subsidy cuts, imposed on an inefficient economy already under strain from a host of sanctions.

Undergirding the turmoil in the Islamic Republic are questions of legitimacy that remain unresolved since the contested June 2009 presidential elections, which brought millions of Iranians into the streets in sometimes deadly protests of fraud.
Economic reform

The most important challenge in Tehran in 2011 will be economic reform.

After decades of expensive subsidies that drained the treasury of anywhere between $30 billion to $100 billion per year, Tehran’s cold-turkey withdrawal of subsidies on gasoline, fuel, and bread – which last week quadrupled the price of gas overnight and made diesel prices skyrocket much higher – is an “extremely drastic” measure, says Farideh Farhi, an Iran specialist at the University of Hawaii.

Indeed, the changes amount to the most serious economic retooling since the 1979 Islamic revolution, which toppled the pro-West Shah but created an oil-driven welfare system that provided cheap utilities and services. While there have been few reports of unrest so far, taking away such subsi... >>>

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G. Rahmanian

VPK & Siavash:

by G. Rahmanian on Sat Jan 01, 2011 06:11 PM PST

The article only gives a time frame. It is not discussing an event called, "New Year." It could simply have said in a month or two months from now. Also, that part is related to the talks on IR's nuclear program and Washington and European capitals where New Year has just started.


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Veiled Prophet of Khorasan

Re: Our New Year

by Veiled Prophet of Khorasan on Sat Jan 01, 2011 09:37 AM PST

 

Yes indeed it is. Siavash is very much right. This while fun is just another party. I respect it but it ain't my new year.

PS,

  • Don't forget Charshanbe Soori! 
  • SP: You got that right!

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Roozbeh_Gilani

Agree with this well written and factual article.

by Roozbeh_Gilani on Sat Jan 01, 2011 09:25 AM PST

And the recent wave of executions of the political prisoners by the islamist regime are perfectly timed as a warning to the masses of ordiinary people who'll suffer greatly as the result of these so called reforms. I believe that the public unrest this year will be far more serious to the regime than what we had after the elections. It is going to be a very interesting year, I am looking forward to it :) 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


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siavash1000

New Year is 80 days away

by siavash1000 on Sat Jan 01, 2011 09:01 AM PST

Our new year is Norooz and it is on March 21.


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Shifteh Ansari

Thank you,

by Shifteh Ansari on Fri Dec 31, 2010 08:24 PM PST

and a happy New Year to you, too!


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G. Rahmanian

SP:

by G. Rahmanian on Fri Dec 31, 2010 07:32 PM PST

There's a joke about that! It says, IR is so backward, it is still in the year 1389!


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G. Rahmanian

The Year of the Rabbit!

by G. Rahmanian on Fri Dec 31, 2010 07:28 PM PST

Too late for the regime to try and change the course of events. They will have to go sooner or later. Every move desperate IR officials make turns out to be yet another nail into the coffin of the regime. IR is a lost cause and cannot be saved. Thank you, Ms. Ansari.


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Monda

Shifteh Ansari jan,

by Monda on Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:52 AM PST

Mamnoon az tamaam akhbaar va khabar-resaanihaat dar 2010.

zahamaatet were/ are most appreciated. 

Best to you and your loved ones in 2011. 


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Sargord Pirouz

New Year for Iran ain't till

by Sargord Pirouz on Fri Dec 31, 2010 09:09 AM PST

New Year for Iran ain't till March.


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