Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has sacked one of his deputies after a holiday to Antarctica sparked public outrage during the country’s New Year celebrations.
Shahram Dabiri, the now-former vice president for parliamentary affairs, was removed from his post after photos emerged online showing him and his wife posing in front of a Dutch expedition vessel bound for the icy continent. The trip coincided with Nowruz, the Persian new year.
President Pezeshkian said on Saturday that Dabiri’s actions were “indefensible,” even if the trip was funded personally, and sent the wrong message at a time when many Iranians are struggling financially.
“In a government that seeks to follow the values of the first Shia Imam (Imam Ali), and amid significant economic pressures on our people, the lavish travels of government officials, even when personally financed, are indefensible,” Pezeshkian said.
The president's office also described the trip as “unjustifiable and unacceptable given the ongoing economic challenges” facing the country.
Iran’s economy has been hit hard by Western sanctions, in part due to its support for groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which are designated as terrorist organisations by the US, UK and EU. According to the International Monetary Fund, the country’s annual inflation rate stood at 29.5% in October 2024, while unemployment was at 8.4%.
Pezeshkian said Dabiri’s behaviour “starkly contradicts the principle of simplicity that is paramount for those in positions of authority”.
Tourist expeditions to Antarctica on vessels such as the MV Plancius typically cost at least $6,685 (£5,187), and require travel to Ushuaia in southern Argentina, one of the world’s southernmost cities.
The president, who was elected last year on promises to revive the economy and improve living conditions, faced calls from his own supporters to remove Dabiri as anger grew over the incident.
