Iran: More on Protest Against Fuel Rationing Law

NY TIMES: State radio reported early Wednesday that several stations were attacked ''by vandals,'' without giving further details. State-run television also said some of the vandals were detained. It did not give number of the detained people. Reports that gas stations in several cities across the country were also in flames could not be independently confirmed. Under the rationing plan, owners of private cars can buy 26 gallons of fuel per month at the subsidized price of 38 cents per gallon. Taxis can get 211 gallons a month at the subsidized price. Iran is the second-biggest exporter in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. But because it has low refining capability, it has to import more than 50 percent of its gasoline needs. To keep prices low, the government subsidized gas sales, saddling it with enormous costs. .

''This man, Ahmadinejad, has damaged all things. The timing of the rationing is just one case,'' said Reza Khorrami, a 27-year-old teacher who was among those lining up at one Tehran gas station before midnight on Tuesday. ''Is this good timing, to announce rationing only three hours before it starts?'' complained Ahmad Safai, a 30-year-old shopkeeper who was in line.

City boy: According to one blogger the state TV channels have happily announced that people are very calm and show videos of the roads that connect Tehran to outside cities! The online news agencies are also slowly removing pictures of the riots that they uploaded last night: ISNA, Mehr.

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