Friday, August 03, 2012

BBC Wrongly Blames Sanctions for Soaring Chicken Price in Iran

The soaring chicken prices in Iran and the ridiculous/condescending statements made by the authorities and religious figures in the Islamic Republic that followed the chicken price hike, made the headlines in several Western media. As usual however, most of them got the headlines right, but when it came to the nitty gritty details, either lazy journalism or other personal considerations let them down. One of the authors, Ali Hamedani, who works for BBC Persian, I  could confidently describe as the quintessential lazy journalist.

This BBC Report however,  didn't even get the headline right and blamed the soaring chicken prices on sanctions! "Growing Anger in Iran Over Cost of Chicken as Sanctions Bite".

The fact is, as the Iranian MP, Ali Aliloo, member of the Majlis for Shabastar, E. Azerbaijan, pointed out in Iran's Islamic Consultative Assembly - (Majlis) - the chicken feed had been imported and was cleared by the customs, but it was not distributed to the chicken farms, in order to artificially push up the prices. In an interview with Enekas, Aliloo rightly blamed 90% of the ills in Iran's economy on the 'economic mafia' which is strangling the country. 

The headline in Shomal News  article, asks the question "Who is the importer of the chicken feed?". A very good question. Indeed, who is this sole importer of chicken feed who has caused so much misery to so many hard working families for the sake of profiteering for himself? 

Despite the lengthy article in Shomal News in trying to answer this question and the author's efforts in describing "rent seeking behaviour", mis-spelled as "rent seejing behaviour", no one is still any wiser as to who has the monopoly on chicken feed imports and the power to manipulate the markets for his own personal profits?

The best answer one can extract from the article, are the importer's initials: "M.M"! 

Undoubtedly "M.M" is a very powerful figure within the Islamic Republic establishment, whom no one can touch or even talk about. 

The truth is whether oil is $10/barrel or over $100/barrel and whether there are sanctions or not, it makes no difference to the people in Iran. What is left from all of Iran's riches and resources is always the very bottom of the barrel. The top cream always goes to the establishment elite, their relatives and cronies and to the "liberation movements" and the "lobby of useful idiots"!

BBC Persian reporter, Ali Hamedani, during last year's Al-Quds Parade, organised annually by the Islamic Republic, more interested in cuddling up to the IRIB reporter than reporting the counter demonstration behind him.


17 comments:

neda Mehregan said...

No wonder BBC Persian is now known as Ayatollah BBC in Iran!

neda Mehregan said...

No wonder BBC Persian is known in Iran as Ayatollah BBC!

neda Mehregan said...

No wonder BBC Persian is known in Iran as Ayatollah BBC!

Anonymous said...

To what extent is the need to import chicken feed caused by the regime's ecologically destructive river diversion programme that is taking water away from cereal production to boost production of cash crops for export, such as sugar? And who is benefiting?

Waybec said...

Sadly the Western Media do sometimes spin the sorriest yarns from the flimiest threads. A hard punch could've been delivered to the Iranian Regime many a time simply by exposing the nitty-gritty and properly chasing the true facts. But for some reason - even in AlJazeera's case - they just seem to dance around the ring with their kid gloves on - almost too afraid to land any knock out blows!

sadin patel said...

Maybe journalists now also not so lazy in telling real story of Real terrorists in Syria all along! Iranian Regime and Hezbollah helping Assad murder Syrian people. Talk of pilgrims is all rubbish when all pilgrims are men and yes - Syrian army full of beards which they no allowed! Maybe now media just stop parrot repeating what Iranian media and Regime tell them and actually get facts not spoonfeds!

Anonymous said...

You're all losers. The sanctions have driven up other costs in the country so it's obvious even domestic produce, eg. chickens will go up in price.

You idiots criticize everything in Iran. How about you challenge the countries you live in - who aren't by the way threatened on a day-to-day basis by foreign powers (enemies).

If the West allowed Iran to 'breathe' we could accomplish so much more - even freedom and democracy (which we already have anyway (not synthetic Western freedoms)).

it's a good thing you Iranians live in the west. iran doesn't need traitors and so-called 'upper-classed' show off Iranians like yourselves.

Waybec said...

Strange how anonymous spouts off without even having the nerve to put his name to it. Let's be clear, Iranian's would be able to breathe if they wasn't suffocated by a totally oppressive, incompetent and Mullah mafiosoi/military Regime. The West is by no means perfect, but we can and constantly do challenge and criticise our governments. It's just a shame that through the Regime's fear stoking and deliberately talked up rhetoric of war and imperialists under the bed, the brown shirts of Khamenei's thug tyranny are obviously making people like anonymous blame others, instead of actually getting out there to properly criticise and challenge the Big Brother propaganda behind it! Anonymous - You're just repeatimg EXACTLY what your Regime wants you to think or say!

Anonymous said...

Waybec you clown - I'm obviously anonymous because I don't want you guys to investigate and destroy my reputation - something you people do on a day-to-day basis with those with opposing views to yourselves.

The bottom line is that most Iranians in the West are self-serving arrogant show-off pricks who criticize anybody acting below them or trying to enact more equality.

Islamic Republic is by no means perfect but it helps the people far more now. In Iran poor people claim money every month from the government - something they never got before. If they don't buy chicken and buy cheap goods - eg, bread, butter, this money is enough to cover the poor peoples food for a month. They then only need to work to cover living costs if any.

You forget that the regime in Iran is always under threat and critical opinion - tell me, what is it supposed to do? Surrender to the West and allow TNCs to flood out land the next morning. The direction Iran is heading in is the best...

As usual you losers can go and bury your head in the sand - Iran isn't your country anymore anyway - when have you been back? you don't have Iranian documents and criticize everything. You can stay in your cold and miserable Western lands.

Also, people in Iran criticize the government all the bloody time - i'm sick of hearing all their opinions everyday I live in the capital. Many of them are influenced from Western media to blame the government. One thing that I observed though is they criticize wherever they want, they do whatever they want - yet at the same time say they are not allowed and its impossible to do such behavior. What do u expect, lying and double-standards is an integral part of Iranian culture.

Anonymous said...

lol Neda Mehregan's very useful comment. we should petition Oxford to give her an honorary PhD in Iranian Studies. 'Ayatollah BBC' hahahahaha

Waybec said...

Reply to anonymous: So the arrogance, corruption, criminality, isolationist policies and incompetence of the Iranian Regime continues to wreck what should be your otherwise oil rich econmony, and you thank for giving the poor hand outs due to what they themselves have done! I suppose you also thank them for helping Assad mass murder Syrian's for their own oppressive greed and power hungry positions too! If anything, it sounds like your biggest enemy is you! A past brainwashed Basiji now rattled by his growing conscience and disillusionment of Big Brother King Khamenei perhaps?

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with anon on the behaviour of some opponents of the Iranian government, which is disgusting, even towards other opponents. I've been hounded by other opponents of the regime because I don't follow their line. They have an odd idea of democracy and some monarchists are fascists. So, I remain anon. However, I disagree that the poor are catered for. Iran has endemic poverty and associated drug abuse. It need not be that way. It is an oil rich country and there is no excuse for the problem of non-payment of wages and the banning of free labour unions.

Anonymous said...

Whatever I say won't be listened to anyway. Opponents of the regime are too close-minded and brainwashed with Western propaganda. They can go and follow a consumerist lifestyle with their fake synthetic Western freedoms (whilst comparing Iranians to Westerners (when we are nothing like them)).
You will never listen or see the straight path. Which is why neither of you ever go to Iran anymore (if they let you in) or have any connection to the country.

There is no incentive for me to also debate with you clowns. If the regime was incompetent it would be gone now. Lol, it is funny for the past 33 years everyday opponents have said the IR will collapse... in 2009, what happened? Where is the "green movement" now? Where are these traitors hiding? Maybe they all escaped back to their second-homes in the West, or they're too busy showing off and enacting double standards in Iran.

You are all, losers.

Anonymous said...

Iran is isolated by the West because of the West. Who enacted an oil embargo? Western states.

Iran wants peace and stability, the West have been threatening us on a daily basis.

Who still holds some of our assets? The United Satantic States.

You imbecile... Iran does not pursue 'isolationist' policies. We have the rest of the world.

Waybec said...

If the Iranian Regime doesn't pursue Isolationist policies, why then will they soon shut down the global Internet to boot up their internal own? And just because I live in the West, I don't want to impose Western values on Iranians. You have your own cultures, customs, traditions and faiths which should be preserved. And God knows, it's obvious that we in the West have had our bunch of finiancial terrorists virtually wreck our economies too! I merely want ALL Iranians to express their voice without fear, tyranny and recrimination from whatever faction! I may not agree with everything, but hopefully I respect other people's views enough to listen. And sometimes I might even change my mind if the argument is solid and sound enough. And let's face it, under the current blanket of Corporate greed, Geo-strategic politics. Religious and idealogical extremists and despotic tyranny, isn't that what TRUE Democracy and FREEDOM of speech between us is all about!

Anonymous said...

I assure you the internet thing won't happen. Wait and see.

A few radical mullahs go on the news in Iran and talk about it - nothing will happen. Every state has its ups and downs...

Mina said...

"What do u expect, lying and double-standards is an integral part of Iranian culture."

Lying and double-standards are an integral part of ISLAMIC culture. That's why your Arab god boasts that his the master of deception. You're his slaves of taqiyya. That's why allah's other name is Al Makir.

مَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّهُ  وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ