Cash Handouts Outside Purview of President

Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has called on candidates of the May 19 presidential election to avoid making promises concerning cash handouts to the people as the decision rests with the legislature.

“It is imperative that candidates respect the Majlis authority … Many issues on which the candidates comment fall within the ambit of the Majlis,” Larijani was quoted as telling reporters on Thursday by ICANA.

Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and the custodian of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), Ebrahim Raeisi, conservative hopefuls who are challenging incumbent President Hassan Rouhani’s bid for reelection, have faulted Rouhani’s economic record and vowed to increase cash handouts two- to three-fold if they win the executive office.

The monthly cash subsidy is currently around $12.

Under the Subsidy Reform Plan initiated by Rouhani’s predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2010, subsidies on food and energy were removed and every Iranian was paid 455,000 rials ($11.9) on a monthly basis.

Rouhani’s administration has retained the plan, albeit reluctantly. Nonetheless, it has moved to restrict the number of cash subsidy recipients, slowly but steadily.