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Stopping Cash Payouts Will Test Iranian President Rouhani's Popularity
(Washington Post) Jason Rezaian - More than 90% of Iranians receive monthly direct deposits from the government of about $15 to buy staples, a program launched in 2010 by then-President Ahmadinejad. In the following 38 months, more than $50 billion was paid to Iranian bank accounts. In a bid to cut spending, the Iranian government has now ended this massive cash assistance program and launched a celebrity-driven campaign to convince millions of Iranians that they do not need the help. It's unlikely to be a popular message.