TEHRAN: Iranian authorities on Sunday announced they will give a monthly allowance to every citizen in the country to alleviate economic pressure, after a week of protests.
“Individuals can receive an amount equivalent to one million Tomans (approximately $7) per person per month, which is credited to their accounts for four months,” government spokeswoman Fatemeh MoHajjerani told state TV.
She said the amount will be given to every Iranian for four months in the form of credit that can be used to purchase certain goods and is intended to “reduce the economic pressure on the people.”
In Iran, which has a population of more than 85 million people, the minimum wage is roughly $100 (85 euros) and average monthly salaries are around $200.
Iranians mostly use mobile phones and debit cards for their daily purchases instead of cash.
Iran’s economy has been grappling with biting US and international sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program for years, and December saw a 52 percent year-on-year inflation rate.
The national currency has lost more than a third of its value against the US dollar over the past year, causing a sharp decrease in people’s purchasing power and broad discontent in the country.
Sunday marked the eighth day of sporadic protests in the Islamic republic over economic uncertainty in the wake of the depreciation.
The protests have touched, to varying degrees, at least 40 different cities, mostly medium-sized and in the country’s west, according to an AFP tally based on official announcements and media reports.
At least 12 people have been killed, including members of the security forces, according to a toll based on official reports.
Iranians to receive monthly payment amid economic woes, protests
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Iranians to receive monthly payment amid economic woes, protests
- Individuals can receive an amount equivalent to around $7 per person per month, which is credited to their accounts for four months, government spokeswoman said
Israel launches ‘large scale operation’ to locate last hostage in Gaza
- The return of the remaining hostage, Ran Gvili, has been widely seen as removing the remaining obstacle to moving ahead with opening the Rafah crossing, which would signal the ceasefire’s second phase
NAHARIYA, Israel: Israel said Sunday its military was conducting a “large-scale operation” to locate the last hostage in Gaza, as Washington and other mediators pressure Israel and Hamas to move into the next phase of their ceasefire.
The statement came as Israel’s Cabinet met to discuss the possibility of opening Gaza’s key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and a day after top US envoys met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about next steps.
The return of the remaining hostage, Ran Gvili, has been widely seen as removing the remaining obstacle to moving ahead with opening the Rafah crossing, which would signal the ceasefire’s second phase.
The return of all remaining hostages, alive or dead, has been a central part of the first phase of the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10. Before Sunday, the previous hostage was recovered in early December.
While Israel has carried out search efforts before for Gvili, more detail than usual was released about this one. Israel’s military said it was searching a cemetery in northern Gaza near the Yellow Line, which marks off Israeli-controlled parts of the territory.
Separately, an Israeli military official said Gvili may have been buried in the Shujaiyya–Daraj Tuffah area, and that rabbis and dental experts were on the ground with specialized search teams. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing an operation still under way.
Gvili’s family has urged Netanyahu’s government not to enter the ceasefire’s second phase until his remains are returned.
But pressure has been building, and the Trump administration has already declared in recent days that the second phase is under way.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of dragging its feet in the recovery of the final hostage. Hamas in a statement Sunday said it had provided all the information it had about Gvili’s remains, and accused Israel of obstructing efforts to search for them in areas of Gaza under Israeli military control.
