In recent days, fuel stations across the country have witnessed a sudden and unexpected change for foreign vehicle owners. These developments clearly seem to go beyond a simple technical disruption and suggest an unclear and unexplained decision.
According to official announcements, foreign vehicles were supposed to be deprived of receiving subsidized gasoline quotas, but it was explicitly stated that the previous balance of their fuel cards, up to 200 and even 360 liters, would remain usable for one month.
Contradiction in Practice
However, the reality on the ground indicates something else. Reports from the stations indicate that the fuel cards of foreign vehicles suddenly and without any prior notice can only use gasoline priced at 5,000 tomans. This message, which appears on the pump displays, signifies the abrupt removal of the previous balance and disregards official promises.
This action has not only raised serious questions about the decision-making process of the managers at the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, but it has also severely undermined public trust in official announcements. If a new policy has been adopted, why has it not been clearly announced? And if there has been an error, why is it not being corrected?
The silence of energy officials in the face of this contradiction is far more concerning to the public than the rise in gasoline prices itself. Immediate clarification is the least expectation from an entity that deals with one of the most sensitive components of people's daily lives.