VOL. XXXIX

No. 24

11-March-1996

IRAN

Rafsanjani Announces Increase In Food Subsidies On Eve Of Elections

President Hashemi Rafsanjani of Iran announced a sharp increase in government subsidies on basic foodstuffs on the eve of the Iranian parliamentary elections, which took place on 8 March. Nearly $2bn will be paid out to keep food prices down, some 37% higher than the $1,460mn originally allocated in the budget for the year starting on 21 March (MEES, 5 February). The announcement...