Parliament Speaker Voids Fee Collection From Stores and Banks Under Iran's Food Coupon Plan

According to Boursenews, published on Tuesday, 18 August 2026 (27 Mordad 1405), Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament, sent an official letter to President Masoud Pezeshkian declaring part of a cabinet resolution on funding the food security and livelihood guarantee plan, known as the kalabarg (food coupon) program, to be contrary to law.

Citing the ruling of the government's Board for Reviewing Compliance of Resolutions with Law and articles 85 and 138 of the constitution, Ghalibaf said clause "b" of item 1 of cabinet resolution No. 30009/T65688H, dated 21 June 2026 (31 Khordad 1405), which had allowed the program's operator to collect fees from participating stores and from partner banks to cover implementation costs, had no legal basis. Per article 60 of the law on amendments to state financial regulations, if the government does not revise the resolution within one week of the letter, the disputed section will automatically be voided.