Iran News: Former Interior Minister Warns Fuel Price Hike Could Spark Bigger Unrest Than 2019
iran november 2019 uprising
Written by
Amir Taghati
Protesters in Iran blocked the main road during the 2019 uprising
Former Iranian regime’s Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, who oversaw the violent crackdown on the 2019 fuel protests, has warned that the country’s current situation is “far more concerning” than it was in 2019. His remarks, delivered during a televised interview, come amid speculation that Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration is preparing to increase fuel prices after five years of price stability.
Rahmani Fazli, who was among those responsible for handling nationwide protests in November 2019, which erupted after a 200% fuel price hike, advised the government to “learn from the experiences of 2019”.
“I am not here to say whether the government should implement this or not,” he stated. “But if they decide to do so, they must absolutely use the lessons of 2019 to their full advantage.”
Highlighting the volatile political and economic climate, he added: “Fuel is no longer just an economic issue. It has become a political, social, and, for our enemies, a security issue. The conditions today are incomparable to 2019. Back then, neither the currency rate nor inflation was at this level. The level of external threats was different. And, importantly, we had not yet experienced the 2022 protests.”
As November 2019 Uprising Anniversary Nears, #Iran’s Regime Lacks Regional Escape Route Amid Brewing Unresthttps://t.co/47ljcBOcCE
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 14, 2024
He concluded with a stark warning: “If you ask me whether the groundwork for implementing [a fuel price increase] is in place, I will say today’s conditions are far, far more concerning than in 2019. The accumulation of public discontent is significantly higher.”
The clerical regime has refrained from increasing fuel prices since November 2019, when protests against the price hike turned into one of the deadliest crackdowns in the country’s history. According to Reuters, 1,500 people were killed during the protests, with thousands more arrested and subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
Reports indicate that the government is considering implementing a four-tier fuel pricing system starting March 2025 (Norouz 1404). Iranian officials have increasingly voiced concerns about the political and social consequences of a price hike.
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Iran: 2019 Uprising, FACT SHEET: Officials Involved in Suppression of 2019 #Iran Protests#WeStand4FreeIranhttps://t.co/Ewq33ajoUf pic.twitter.com/p2XmZn6s6O— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 1, 2020
Meanwhile, regime insider Mohammad-Kazem Anbarlouee lamented in January: “The country is plagued by energy shortages, rampant inflation, unemployment, and mismanagement. The economic system is riddled with corruption and inefficiency.” He blamed both internal incompetence and external adversaries for the ongoing crisis. His assessment underscores the disconnect between the regime’s claims of resource abundance and its failure to meet the basic needs of its population.
Lotfollah Siahkali, a former MP, sounded the alarm on the regime’s economic mismanagement. “If the dollar reaches 90,000 tomans, economic collapse will be inevitable,” he warned. “People have no reserves left to withstand another wave of inflation. The situation is dangerous.”
Similarly, a regime analyst Mohammad-Ali Janatkhah acknowledged widespread public despair: “Many people lack motivation to return home at night. Each person has become a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment.” He also criticized both factions who claim to be “reformists” and “principlists”, stating, “Neither side offers a solution; the game is over for them.”
Exclusive: #IRGC’s Report Says 2019 Iran Uprising Was Organized
The study underlines “The Enemy’s Tactics in Creating Urban Riots" & that protests were “organized,” not a spontaneous expression of outrage nor indiscriminate vandalization. #IranProtestshttps://t.co/hPltYNbYsb— NCRI-U.S. Rep Office (@NCRIUS) January 7, 2022
Since entering office, the Pezeshkian administration has publicly expressed interest in increasing fuel prices but has so far refrained from implementing the policy. Given Iran’s ballooning budget deficit, ongoing inflation, and systemic mishandling of the economy, pressure is mounting for the government to act.
However, Rahmani Fazli’s warning underscores the potential fallout of such a decision. Having been directly responsible for the deadly 2019 protests, his statement signals that even figures once deeply involved in Iran’s security apparatus are concerned about the government’s ability to contain public backlash. With discontent at its highest level in years, experts argue that the regime is at a critical crossroads—risking either further economic collapse or another cycle of mass protests and repression.