Iranian regime President Rouhani faced harsh criticism from conservatives Wednesday over what they say is a poorly implemented scheme to distribute food to low-income.
Rouhani, a moderate elected last year, has already drawn fire over a nuclear deal with world powers and diplomatic overtures.
Bot h the diplomatic push and the social program are aimed at alleviating the effects of crippling Western sanctions imposed over Iran’s nuclear program, which the West suspects is being used to develop weapons.
The program aims to hand out packages of frozen chicken, rice, vegetable oil, cheese and eggs to poor families ahead of Iranian New Year celebrations in mid-March.
But critics say the programme has forced people to stand in long queues in cold weather, and local media reported that an elderly man had died while waiting in the western Kermanshah province.