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Petrol Riots In Iran
Iranians protest against rationing: Will Chavez help his friend out?
Gangs set fire to petrol stations in Tehran following President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's announcement that citizens in the oil-rich state would be subject to fuel rationing.
The state television announced that private car owners would be rationed to 100 litres a month; petrol cars would have to make to with 30 litres. The rationing will continue for four months and possibly until the end of the year. Drivers complained that the order gave only two hours notice of the rationing: By midnight, half-mile queues stretched outside petrol stations in the Iranian capital.
Reports said gangs of protesting youths attacked some stations, setting fire to several.
The BBC reports that despite Iran's huge reserves, it imports 40 percent of its oil. Fuel subsidies have led to a huge deficit and boosted inflation to around 20-30 percent.
Mr Ahmadinejad's friend Hugo Chavez is in town this week; perhaps he will offer to help Iran by providing cut-price oil?
