With the ongoing rise in currency exchange rates and industrial power and gas outages, general price levels in Iran are climbing, and media outlets report unprecedented inflation in the food market.
The website Nournews, affiliated with the Iranian regime’s Supreme National Security Council, reported on Thursday, January 2, that consumer goods prices are surging. Tomatoes experienced a 76% price hike, making them the most affected agricultural product, followed by potatoes and onions, with increases of 74.3% and 71.1%, respectively.
According to official statistics cited in published reports, sugar prices rose by 66%, Iranian rice by 56%, and cooking oil by 40% in December compared to the same month the previous year.
In protein products, chicken prices increased by 40%, and red meat by 39%.
Reports indicate that machine-made Taftoon bread and Lavash bread had the smallest price increases, at 23% and 31.5%, respectively.
The price hikes come as Iran’s regime Central Bank recently claimed that the 12-month inflation rate reached 36% in November 2024, the lowest in 50 months.
Analysts attribute the disparity between Central Bank figures and market realities to data manipulation, as the bank adjusts base years in its calculations to favor the regime.
Reports, however, indicate that rising prices for goods and services persist, with media attributing one of the main causes to currency exchange rate fluctuations.
Nournews stated, “Many goods and production inputs in the country are supplied through imports, and currency fluctuations directly impact prices.”
Nournews emphasized that, in addition to increasing production costs, rising exchange rates exacerbate inflationary expectations, causing market volatility and consumer anxiety.
The outlet also warned that if exchange rate increases continue, further price hikes and issues such as shortages and hoarding in the market are likely.
In this context, a letter published in the media revealed that household cooking oil prices increased by 15%, while industrial oil prices rose by 21%.
The latest report from Iran’s regime Center shows that in the final month of autumn 2024, 26 out of 53 selected food items in urban areas experienced price increases exceeding the annual urban point-to-point inflation rate of 31.7%.
