Iran government signals fuel price hike on eve of new US sanctions

Tehran, Iran – The Iranian government is preparing the public for another increase in fuel prices as it attempts to buoy the country’s ailing economy.With the United States’ siege of Iran’s seaports and the economic impact of the war continuing, the offer of heavily subsidised fuel to the country’s 93 million population is a burden that the government is struggling to afford.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Can Iran retaliate against countries that join US ‘economic war’?list 2 of 4What did war with the US reveal about Iran’s weapons capabilities?list 3 of 4Iran grants permission for some Iraqi oil tankers to pass through Hormuzlist 4 of 4Israel, Turkiye and the post-Abrahamic Middle Eastend of listThe International Monetary Fund predicts that Iran’s gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by 5.4 percent in 2026.Hiking the price of petrol in this oil-rich country has already sparked unrest before, including nationwide demonstrations in 2019. Such measures also preceded the January 2026 protests by several weeks.So authorities are treading carefully, with a final decision expected over the coming weeks.“I understand that we have many problems in society now. We are d...