Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has fired one of his deputies for taking a “lavish” trip to Antarctica with his wife during Nowruz, the Persian new year. The president’s office described Shahram Dabiri’s trip as “unjustifiable and unacceptable given the ongoing economic challenges” in Iran.
The president said Dabiri had been removed as vice president of parliamentary affairs for “indefensible” actions, regardless of whether they were financed from his own pocket. Iran’s economy is under significant strain, and subject to Western sanctions due in part to its support of groups including Hamas and Hezbollah, which have been proscribed terrorist organisations by the US, UK and the EU.
Iran’s unemployment rate as of October 2024 was 8.4%, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), while its annual inflation rate was 29.5%.
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