The Iranian regime’s parliament hastily approved the generalities of what many experts regard as Ebrahim Raisi’s government’s “unrealistic” budget bill.

Raisi claimed that “all budget indicators show positive economic growth” in his litany of lies in defense of his budget bill on Monday. 4% economic growth, 5% increase in production tools, 7% increase in industry added value, 17% increase in trade and 19% increase in non-oil exports, and 70% growth in knowledge-based companies.”

Like Don Quixote, who defeated the imaginary monster, Raisi boasted about conquering Iran’s economic crises, such as lowering inflation by 19%, only to be snubbed by handpicked MPs! Furthermore, the engineered statistics produced by various state institutions and officials refute this bogus claim.

“According to Iran’s Statistic Center, the inflation rate in December reached 45%, seeing a one percent increase since November,” the state-run Sharq daily wrote on January 17. On Monday, MP Naser Mousavi Largani acknowledged that due to the severe budget deficit, the inflation might surpass 60%, according to the state-run Shafaqna website on January 23.

The regime’s budget bill for 2023-2024 is devoid of any significant resources. Raisi has raised taxes by 66% in order to generate revenue. According to the regime’s reports, the Iranian people should bear this significant tax increase despite the fact that many of them live far below the poverty line.

Another source of revenue for the 2023-2024 budget is the export of at least a million barrels of oil per day at a rate of $85 per barrel. This is yet another false claim, given that the oil market is still volatile a year after the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine continues. Furthermore, state corruption and international sanctions against Tehran exacerbate the situation.

Raisi’s lies extended beyond his government’s budgetary resources. He concealed the fact that the regime’s security apparatus and institutions overseen by the supreme leader receive the lion’s share of the budget, which is tax-exempt, while the Ministries of Health and Education have pitiful budgets.

Raisi’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year, which begins in March 2023, includes a 131% increase for the IRGC, from approximately $1.24 billion to approximately $2.89 billion. Because the IRGC dominates the country’s economy, it has both official and “unofficial” revenue streams.

The Iranian uprising is now in its fifth month, posing an existential threat to the regime and shaking its foundation. Ali Khamenei, the regime’s supreme leader, did not choose Raisi as president to address Iran’s economic or social crises. The regime’s main goal is to maintain its rule at any cost, and Raisi and his cabinet lack any meaningful solution to the country’s economic crisis.

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