Economy

iranintl – Freelancers and small business owners say their incomes have collapsed and daily operations have halted during Iran’s prolonged internet shutdown, which NetBlocks said has caused $1.8 billion in losses over 48 days. “I work as a freelance web developer and my income has dropped to zero because of the internet outage. I am selling my belongings to cover …

Iranwire – The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its latest “World Economic Outlook” report, said that inflation in the Islamic Republic of Iran is expected to reach around 69% this calendar year. If this happens, it would mark the highest inflation level recorded in the country since World War II. As per the report, Iran is set to rank among …

iranintl.com – Reports in major outlets that Tehran has floated a “commercial bonanza” to the Trump administration should be understood less as an investment roadmap than as a survival strategy. As Donald Trump’s 10-to-15-day deadline for a “meaningful” deal with Iran enters its decisive phase, Iranian officials appear to be reframing diplomacy as a commercial opportunity rather than a strategic …

Iranwire – Today, Wednesday, February 25, as political tensions continued to rise, currency and gold traders signaled that the market has entered a highly sensitive phase, where even a single headline could shift prices. In just 24 hours, the dollar surged by more than 2,000 tomans to reach 166,000 tomans, while the gold coin moved past the 200 million toman …

iranintl – More than 107.8 trillion rials ($66.5 million) in retail money has flowed out of the Tehran Stock Exchange over the past 24 trading sessions, marking what analysts describe as a new phase of liquidity depletion driven by political uncertainty and fears of military escalation. Habib Arian, a financial markets researcher, told ISNA that the turning point came on …

iranintl – Iranian bank branches are facing growing shortages of cash as demand for banknotes rises sharply, prompting informal daily withdrawal caps of 30 million to 50 million rials per customer (about $18 to $30), Iranian media reported. Didban Iran website said branches in several banks were running out of banknotes on a daily basis, with customers arriving later in …

iranintl – The possibility of US military action against Iran is eroding Iranians’ purchasing power and deepening their sense of insecurity, according to Iranian economic news outlets which provide a rare window into economic behavior amid an internet blackout. Financial woes helped spark anti-government protests late last which which were crushed with deadly force, in a bloody crackdown in which …

Iranwire – The Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) has reported that the annual point-to-point inflation rate in December reached 60 percent, its highest level on record.  According to the data, the figure represents an increase of more than seven percentage points compared to the previous month. Point-to-point inflation in the “Food and Beverages” category was recorded at 89.9 percent.  Media …

Iranwire – Ali Hakim-Javadi, head of the ICT Guild Organization (a semi-governmental body that represents the IT sector), said the internet shutdown is costing Iran between 2 to 3 trillion tomans every day ($28M–$42M USD). He added that the damage goes beyond money, warning of “tangible negative effects” on user trust, Iran’s international standing, and the growing “migration of elites,” …

Iranwire – Recently, Gholamreza Tajgardoon, head of Parliament’s Budget Consolidation Committee, said that of the $21 billion Iran earned from registered oil exports, only about $13 billion has actually made its way back. No one can clearly account for what happened to the remaining $8 billion. His remarks point to something far darker than a bookkeeping error – a shadowy …