Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed his Vice President for Parliamentary Affairs, Shahram Dabiri, on Saturday after a photo surfaced showing him on a luxury trip to Antarctica, at a time when Iranians are enduring a severe economic crisis and record inflation.

The dismissal follows a public backlash on social media, where a photo of Dabiri—standing next to a woman identified as his wife—went viral. The image shows the couple near the “Plancius”, a Dutch-flagged luxury cruise ship that has offered elite expeditions to Antarctica since 2009, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Sources in Tehran described the trip as “ethically and politically unjustifiable,” particularly as millions of Iranians struggle with soaring living costs, currency devaluation, and shrinking purchasing power.

Dabiri has not issued a public statement regarding the incident. However, the presidential office confirmed the dismissal, stating that the decision was made to “reinforce public trust and hold officials accountable for behavior outside institutional norms.