Ebrahim Sadeghi-Far, head of the Labor and Social Security Institute, warned that 22 to 27 percent of Iranians are struggling with poverty and face difficulties in meeting their basic needs.
Speaking at a meeting on January 5, Sadeghi-Far presented these statistics, emphasizing that poverty is one of the main challenges in the country that requires urgent attention.
He added, “Today, poverty in Iran is not a marginal issue; it has become an undeniable reality affecting a large portion of society.”
Previously, on November 16, the Iran’s regime Chamber of Commerce Research Center reported that as of early 2022, approximately 32 million Iranians were living below the food poverty line. The report warned that this trend is rapidly worsening due to severe inflation in recent years.
On October 29, 2024, the Iranian Parliament Research Center also reported that the poverty rate had exceeded 30 percent in 2023, stating: “Last year, at least one-third of the population was unable to meet their basic needs and lived below the poverty line.”
The head of the Labor and Social Security Institute argued that fighting poverty solely through economic measures is a mistake and called for an examination of its roots in political, social, and cultural factors.
Referring to existing data showing that school dropout rates are rising due to economic and social difficulties, Sadeghi-Far questioned why poverty persists in Iran despite the country’s vast oil resources.
On September 9, 2024, the Donya-e-Eqtesad newspaper reported that the poverty line for a three-person household in Tehran this year stands at 200 million rials (approximately $247).
Citing economic experts, the newspaper added that approximately 26 million Iranians are unable to meet their basic needs.
In May 2024, the Etemad newspaper published an article titled “2024 Budget: Incapable of Poverty Reduction”, analyzing poverty data and stating that a 10 percent increase in the poverty rate over two years means approximately 8 million more people have fallen into poverty.
Citing an analysis by the Iranian Parliament Research Center, the newspaper warned that since 2017, Iran’s poor population has increased by approximately 50 percent.
