Haunted by 2019 protests, Tehran avoids fuel price hike
Tehran continues to tread carefully on gasoline prices under the long shadow of the November 2019 protests, one of the bloodiest crackdowns in the Islamic Republic’s history. Fuel prices remain among Iran’s most politically volatile topics, with even the idea of change triggering anxiety across the political system.
The popular news site Bartarinha warned this week that “The country’s fragile condition … is such that even raising the possibility of price increases can trigger a wave of apprehension and unpredictable reactions.” The memory of those events never fades. Six years ago, a sudden overnight hike in gasoline prices—50% for subsidized fuel and much higher above quota—sparked nationwide unrest within hours, becoming one of the fastest-spreading waves of dissent since 1979 and a lingering national trauma.
“Those who witnessed Aban 98 can never laugh from the bottom of their hearts for the rest of their lives,” wrote an X user identifying as Hamed, referencing the unrest by its Persian calendar name. “We have just stayed alive to see the day of revenge.”
Economists argue that the current model is unsustainable: the real cost of imported gasoline has risen to 700,000 rials per liter (about 65 cents), while subsidized retail prices remain just over 1 cent per liter. The burden on the government budget is estimated at $6 billion this year.
Author's note: This summary preserves the key facts and quotes, while condensing the narrative to a clear, neutral report of the situation and its context.
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