In 2018, the World Bank painted a concerning picture of poverty in Iran. Their report indicated that 0.5%, translating to roughly 420,000 people, lived below the absolute poverty line, surviving on less than $1.90 per day. However, the situation appears far worse according to the Iranian regime’s own Research Center. Their 2018 report estimated a range of 23% to 40% of the total population living below the poverty line.

By October 2020, the situation had taken a drastic turn for the worse. The Research Center again issued a report, this time revealing a staggering statistic: over 60% of Iranians were now struggling below the poverty line. This dramatic rise coincided with a precipitous drop in the value of the Iranian currency. The poverty line itself had skyrocketed to a staggering 20 million tomans per month.

The consequences of this rising poverty are stark and undeniable. Social ills are accelerating, with theft becoming a major concern. Even the regime’s state-run media is forced to acknowledge this unfortunate reality.

A recent report by the state-run Tejarat News, published last Sunday, quoted the spokesperson of the judiciary, confessing to this alarming trend. The report went on to share the grim experience of a supermarket owner in Tehran’s Ferdous Blvd area. He revealed that shoplifting incidents had surged significantly over the past three to four years.

His words paint a poignant picture: “Thieves don’t have a specific age these days. Some people steal because of high prices and poverty. For instance, last month, I caught an elderly man trying to steal. When I spoke with him, it became clear he was genuinely hungry.”

The owner continued, sharing another heartbreaking story: “People who commit theft don’t do it for amusement. We once apprehended a woman who stole an egg. Upon investigation, we discovered she was a single mother caring for three children.”

This sentiment was echoed by another supermarket owner, who has operated in Tehran’s Dastgheib neighborhood for three decades. He stated simply, “As poverty increases and people have nothing left, theft becomes more common.”

The owner of a supermarket in Atabak Khavaran neighborhood further emphasized the link between poverty and theft, highlighting the skyrocketing cost of basic necessities: “Even simple food items like chips have become extremely expensive. People’s purchasing power has plummeted, leading to an increase in theft.”

Another seller offered a particularly damning indictment of the current situation: “Over the past year or two, with everything becoming so expensive, even we feel like stealing. The regime has left people with no choice but to resort to theft.”

Fueling the desperation is the rampant inflation of essential goods. This, coupled with stagnant wages, creates an unbearable burden on ordinary Iranians.

State-run media is acknowledging the “crisis of the balance between income and expenses,” recognizing the social chaos it has unleashed. The state-run daily Etemad Online issued a stark warning, highlighting the chaotic and unsupervised price hikes of essential necessities, turning them into daily “news subjects.”

The newspaper further emphasized the dire economic situation, stating: “The biggest and most important indicator of societal confusion is the imbalance between income and expenses for most families, or the complete disruption of any semblance of price stability. We only need to look at healthcare costs, from medications to hospital stays. The reality is that countless families are struggling to make ends meet.”

Etemad Online continues its scathing critique: “For this harsh reality, there are only hollow criticisms, interpretations, and proposed financial solutions. Yet, the core issue remains – a vast disparity between income and expenditure, with poverty spreading uncontrollably.”

The newspaper concludes with a poignant observation: “It’s easy to paint a rosy picture of the country’s economic situation in media and advertising. However, people adjust their lives based on the harsh realities they face. The undeniable truth for many families with fixed incomes and ever-rising expenses is this: the crisis is impacting the basic livelihood of ordinary Iranians.”

The situation in Iran presents a bleak picture. Rampant poverty, coupled with inflation and economic turmoil, is creating a breeding ground for social unrest. The regime’s own media is struggling to mask the severity of the crisis, and the voices on the ground speak volumes about the desperation plaguing ordinary Iranians.