Ayatollahs to politicians: Listen to the public’s pain

It was an unusual display of public pressure on the government by a group of grand ayatollahs, the highest clerics in Shia Islam.

The grand ayatollahs made their remarks during a meeting with members of the clerical faction of the Majlis in Qom last Thursday.

Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem-Shirazi said, “The issues of rising prices and economic problems are putting more and more pressure on the people day-by-day.”

Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi-Golpayegani told the deputies, “If rising prices and inflation are curbed, the people’s confidence in the Islamic system will increase. Otherwise, we will face more problems in the future.”

And Grand Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani said, “Many people come to us and say that although they receive cash subsidies, the cost of living and high prices” have made life difficult for them.

Officials should take measures to improve the country’s economic situation, Sobhani said, adding, “The next president will be facing a large number of problems, including unemployment, rising prices and moral corruption in society, and we hope that he will be successful in running the country.”

In addition, Grand Ayatollah Hossain Nuri-Hamedani said, “The people are suffering from the high cost of living, and serious measures should be taken to curb rising prices and inflation. We see that in many countries the prices of goods remain unchanged for several years.”