Iranian state media paints a grim picture of the economic situation on the eve of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
Reports highlight a significant rise in the cost of essential goods, forcing people to prioritize food and basic items over new clothes. This has also discouraged sellers due to lower demand.
‘Etemad’ newspaper emphasizes the problem, stating, “Ramadan has arrived, but consumer goods are several times more expensive compared to last year.”
Rasoul Shajari, head of the Tehran Cobblers’ Union, reported a 25% drop in demand and a 30% price increase in the shoe market.
Similarly, a report from Qazvin by Etelaat newspaper reveals that “unlike previous years, the sweets market has been sluggish since early March due to high inflation. Orders for tea biscuits, a popular Nowruz treat, have plummeted from 40 kg to a mere 5-10 kg per day.”
Local media estimates the cost of preparing a Haft-Seen table, a traditional Nowruz centerpiece, to exceed half a million tomans this year. Adding a fish and vegetable pilaf to the New Year’s Eve meal pushes the total cost for a typical household to a staggering 1,600,000 tomans.
These economic woes come on the heels of the Tehran City Council’s announcement of increased public transportation fares. Entry fees for the metro will rise by 16%, while express and normal buses will see hikes of 21% and 30% respectively, compared to 2023.
Mehr news agency reports from Semnan province that essential items have become significantly more expensive. Dates, for instance, have increased from 110,000 tomans per kilogram in early March to 135,000 tomans by mid-March. Similarly, the price of lentils and white beans has jumped from 85,000 tomans per kilogram in mid-February to 105,000 tomans by mid-March.
There’s also a significant discrepancy between government-mandated prices and market realities. For example, Mehr reports that the Semnan province supervision unit set the price of mixed veal meat at 500,000 tomans per kilogram. However, butchers are selling it for no less than 560,000 tomans.
‘Etemad’ newspaper, in an article titled “Expensiveness, Inflation and Unemployment Are Enough to Tear People’s Nerves; Don’t Step on the Soul of the Nation More Than This,” published on March 13th, criticizes the mounting social pressure on Iranians due to the economic crisis.
