Iranian President Fires Deputy After Lavish Antarctic Cruise With Wife

The Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has removed his vice president for parliamentary affairs, Shahram Dabiri, after facing significant public criticism regarding an extravagant Antarctic vacation taken during the Nowruz festivities. The presidential office characterized Dabiri's trip accompanied by his spouse as "indefensible and inappropriate considering the current economic difficulties" facing the nation. An image of the pair standing in front of the MV Plancius, a Dutch ship bound for Antarctica, went viral on social media platforms, inciting anger amongst Iranian viewers. On Saturday, Pezeshkian verified Dabiri’s dismissal from his position, stating "unjustifiable" conduct regardless of whether the journey was personally financed. "In a government aiming to adhere to the principles set forth by the first Shia Imam (Imam Ali) and facing considerable economic challenges for our citizens, the extravagant trips taken by government official…