Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed his Vice President for Parliamentary Affairs, Shahram Dabbari, on Saturday, following criticism over his expensive Antarctica trip amid the country’s ongoing severe economic crisis and inflation. A picture went viral on social media showing Dabbari and a woman, believed to be his wife, standing near the “Plancius” cruise ship, which operates under the Dutch flag.
According to BBC, this luxury ship has been offering Antarctic tours since 2009, and according to one agency, an eight-day trip costs 3,885 Euros per person. In a statement released through the official news agency, Arna, President Pezeshkian wrote, “In a situation where the public is facing economic pressure, expensive leisure trips by government officials, even if paid for privately, are neither defensible nor acceptable.”
Dabbari, 64, a physician by profession, took office in August and was considered a close associate of the president. After the photo surfaced, the government faced heavy criticism, and even some of the president’s supporters called for Dabbari’s dismissal. Last month, Arna reported through a source from Dabbari’s office that the trip was taken before he assumed office.
