On Tuesday, February 20, the state-run Iranian newspaper Shargh referenced the latest World Bank report on food security from the previous year. It highlighted a significant observation: in neighboring countries with economies comparable to Iran’s, the minimum wage far exceeds that of Iran. For instance, in countries like Iraq, the minimum wage is more than double, while in Turkey, it’s approximately four times higher than in Iran.
In Iraq, workers earn a minimum income of $354 per month, roughly equivalent to 20 million tomans.
Globally, Iran lags behind in terms of minimum wage standards, even when compared to nations like India, Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan. These countries consistently rank higher than Iran in terms of minimum wage compensation.
Moreover, fixed worker benefits remain insufficient. In 2023, housing rights for workers amounted to 825,500 tomans, child benefits per child stood at 530,829 tomans, and the allowance for essential goods was 1,079,500 tomans. However, these figures only cover a fraction of the minimum living expenses.
Presently, the minimum wage for married workers with children, as per labor law, stands at around 8 million tomans per month. However, this amount is not extended to workers outside the purview of labor laws.
Additionally, several MPs and media outlets associated with the regime have acknowledged that the cost of living is approximately three times higher than the minimum wage set by the Supreme Labor Council for this year.
Shargh’s report concluded that such a disparity in minimum wages could lead to increased migration of workers to neighboring countries and potentially encourage more illegal immigration from Afghanistan, a neighboring nation.
According to the latest World Bank report on food security in 2023, Iran holds the fifth position globally for the highest food inflation rate. Venezuela tops the list with a staggering 471% inflation rate, followed by Iran at 78%, and Turkey at 52%.
