Well, Americans may be bitching about gas prices, but despite cursing Mobil/Exxon at every fill-up, we haven't set anything on fire... yet. Iranians are a little more pissed off:
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Angry Iranians torched pump stations and hurled abuse at President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government after the world's fourth-largest oil exporter said it was imposing fuel rationing on Wednesday.
Some drivers scuffled while waiting to fill up their tanks before rationing began. Others chanted anti-government slogans and openly criticized Ahmadinejad, who came to power two years ago vowing to share out Iran's oil wealth more fairly.
"We are swimming in oil and all they do is just put pressure on people," said taxi driver Hasan Mohammadi, 44. "I'm using my last drop of gasoline."
"Last night's riots were an expression of the anger of people with lower incomes," said government employee Saeed Sameti, although he said he in principle backed rationing.
Despite its huge energy reserves, Iran lacks refining capacity and must import about 40 percent of its gasoline, a sensitive issue when world powers have threatened new U.N. sanctions in a row with Tehran over its nuclear program.
This is interesting to hear because many Americans have visions of Iranians wailing and chanting praise in support of Ahmadinejad, but that isn't exactly the case. Ahmadinejad may talk a big game but he still needs to manage a country. Having a lot of oil is useless unless you can turn it into something useful. Unfortunately it's the working class who are suffering.
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