![\"Iranians](\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2010\/05\/ahmadi2.jpg\" "\\"Iranians")
May 24 (Reuters) – Hecklers at an outdoor speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday shouted their concerns about unemployment, in a rare display of dissent in front of the hardline leader.<\/p>\nMay 24 (Reuters) – Hecklers at an outdoor speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday shouted their concerns about unemployment, in a rare display of dissent in front of the hardline leader.<\/p>\n
While Ahmadinejad addressed a crowd in the port city of Khorramshahr, in a speech marking the anniversary of a key battle in the Iran-Iraq war, several members of the crowd could be heard chanting: "Unemployment! Unemployment!"<\/p>\n
The president's speeches are regularly carried live on Iranian TV where crowds more usually respond with slogans such as "God is Greatest" and "Death to America".<\/p>\n
Ahmadinejad won a second term last June in an election the reformist opposition said was rigged — sparking the biggest anti-government protests since the 1979 Islamic revolution.<\/p>\n
The government denied any vote rigging and accused foreign powers of fomenting unrest.<\/p>\n
Opposition leaders have applied for permission to hold a rally on the first anniversary of the election, on June 12 where they plan to call for human rights and the release of political prisoners.<\/p>\n
Iran's official unemployment rate is 11 percent, but in reality the jobless rate is believed to be considerably higher.<\/p>\n
The economy — reliant on Iran's huge oil and gas resources — has been squeezed by years of sanctions which have hurt trade and hindered some foreign investment, including in an energy sector much in need of modernisation. <\/p>\n
A phase-out of decades-old subsidies on food and fuel later this year could put further strains on the economy if it adds to inflationary pressures, something which would also be a political problem for Ahmadinejad who has championed the policy. <\/p>\n
(Writing by Robin Pomeroy) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
May 24 (Reuters) – Hecklers at an outdoor speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday shouted their concerns about unemployment, in a rare display of dissent in front of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[175],"class_list":{"0":"post-8193","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-regime","8":"tag-updated"},"yoast_head":"\n