Rewritten Title:
Government Implements Phased Subsidy Reforms, Aims for More Targeted Welfare System
Article:
In a significant move to refine its social welfare system, the Iranian government is continuing the phased implementation of a policy to redirect cash subsidies towards those most in need. High-ranking officials have confirmed the ongoing process, which is being carried out in accordance with the national budget law.
A Gradual Transition
Ahmad Madadi, a relevant official, stated that the subsidy allocation for approximately 7 million individuals was halted starting from the previous Persian calendar year. He further noted that the parliament has emphasized the necessity of removing subsidies for a total of 25 million people.
Echoing this, Ahmad Roustami, Head of the Iranian Welfare Center, provided a detailed timeline. He confirmed that the first phase of the subsidy adjustments began in the month of Farvardin. The process continued through the months of Shahrivar and Mehr, during which subsidies for nearly 8 million people were discontinued.
Adherence to Legal Mandates
“The effort in the coming months is to act upon our legal duty in this regard,” Roustami stated. He emphasized that, based on the budget law, the government is obligated to gradually remove the subsidies for the three highest income deciles by the end of the current Persian year.
Official estimates indicate that around 18 million people who were receiving subsidies fall into these top three income brackets. “According to our operational capacity, we are removing between one to three million people from the list each month,” Roustami explained. “So far, about 8 million have been affected by this decision, and approximately 10 million remain.”
Parliamentary Support for the Initiative
The policy has received clear backing from the legislative branch. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament), addressed the matter in a recent open session. He confirmed that the government is definitively pursuing the removal of subsidies for the three higher-income deciles and that implementation is set to proceed from the month of Aban.
“This decision was made based on the law,” Qalibaf stated. “There may have been some delays due to credit limitations and technical issues in execution, but with the necessary cooperation, this will definitely be implemented.”
Speaker Qalibaf also mentioned ongoing high-level coordination concerning the nation’s welfare programs, expressing hope for the smooth transition to a new system of essential goods distribution.