Top Officials Meet on Gasoline Rationing

The heads of three branches of government on Saturday called for the full cooperation of all state organizations to help successfully implement the directive on managing fuel consumption and supporting low-income families.
As per the early Friday announcement, gasoline has been rationed and its price was hiked.
The National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company announced that private car owners can buy 60 liters of subsidized gasoline every month with a fuel card at the rate of 15,000 rials (13 cents) per liter, up 50%. Additional purchases will cost 30,000 rials (26 cents) per liter, up 200%. 
Promoting social justice, assisting needy and working class Iranians with priority given to low-income families, combating fuel smuggling, reducing rent-seeking, containing consumption and bolstering the economy are the purported objectives pursued by the plan.    
Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the head of Plan and Budget Organization, had said without providing details that about 60 million people out of the total population of 82 million will get extra monthly cash handouts to compensate the rise in fuel prices. 
"President Hassan Rouhani has said that all the extra income should be paid back to the people," Nobakht said. 
However, the surprise move sparked public protests triggered by fears of the fuel price hike’s inflationary impact. 
The heads of the government, judiciary and parliament stressed at the meeting that with the supply of financial resources, the payment of allowance will be made "monthly, regularly and without interruption" and the payment for the current month will begin as of next week, ISNA reported.  
They agreed that the allocated quota, along with the unchanged price of diesel, will be sufficient to help control public transportation costs, but vowed to take any additional measure, if the need arises. 
Non-hybrid cabs can buy 400 liters with their fuel cards and the figure stands at 200 liters for CNG hybrid taxis.