The ministry’s statement reads:

“The Public Relations Department of the Oil Ministry strongly denies reports published on some online channels and social media pages claiming that ‘free-market gasoline will be sold at 5,500 tomans per liter beginning the night of Nov. 21, quoting the oil minister.’

We inform the public that this claim has no validity. The spread of such inaccurate news is intended to create public anxiety. The Oil Ministry reserves the right to pursue legal action against those responsible.

It is clear that any official news regarding gasoline price reforms will only be announced through the Government Information Council.”