Ahmadinejad and the petrol paradox

He is the son of a blacksmith, portrays himself as a champion of the working man and was swept to power pledging to put Iran


Petrol consumption in Iran far outstrips the capacity of Iranian refineries, forcing Iran to import billions of dollars worth of petrol at international prices. It is then sold to the motorist at prices so heavily subsidised that a litre of fuel is cheaper than a litre of mineral water. This has encouraged wastefulness and smuggling abroad