Iran’s Gas Production 42% Higher Than Official Figures, Oil Minister Claims
Javad Owji, the Iranian regime’s Minister of Oil, claimed during a meeting of gas-exporting countries in Algeria that in the next five years, with a $70 billion investment, Iran’s daily gas production would increase from the current approximately 1.07 billion cubic meters to 1.3 billion cubic meters.
His statements on March 3 regarding producing over 1 billion cubic meters of gas come in contrast to his previous statement the day before, where he mentioned the country’s total gas production in the entire year of 2022 as 240 billion cubic meters, equivalent to a daily production of 675 million cubic meters. This figure aligns with international and the regime’s official statistics.
Additionally, a document from the National Gas Company of Iran showed that the total gas delivered to the country’s gas network from March 21 to July 23, 2023, was approximately 642 million cubic meters per day. Therefore, Owji has declared the country’s gas production level to be 42 percent higher than the actual figures.
Reuters also reported on Owji’s claims, stating that Iran is expected to face a daily gas deficit of 300 million cubic meters in the coming years.
Currently, Iran’s average daily gas deficit is around 150 million cubic meters, but this figure doubles in winter.
Owji’s claim of a $70 billion investment comes at a time when Iran’s average annual investment in the country’s oil and gas fields in recent years has been only $3 billion.
Official statistics from the Ministry of Economy also indicate that the accumulated debt of the National Iranian Oil Company, responsible for investing in oil and gas fields, reached an astronomical amount of 16,830 trillion rials (approximately $28 billion) by 2021.
This figure is calculated based on today’s dollar exchange rate, whereas the dollar’s price in 2021 was much lower than this amount.
Previous reports had highlighted the increasing debt of the National Iranian Oil Company, exceeding $80 billion, making it the most indebted government entity.
Owji’s assertion of production growth is questionable as the Iranian sector of the South Pars gas field, which contributes 70 percent to the country’s gas production, has entered the second half of its life this year. The field’s pressure will drop by 7 atmospheres each year, resulting in a yearly reduction of 10 billion cubic meters in production.
In February 2024, the National Development Fund announced in a report that the country’s domestic gas demand would nearly double by the year 2041, reaching over 510 billion cubic meters annually. However, during the same period, the country’s gas production is expected to decrease by 25 percent, falling to less than 180 billion cubic meters, equivalent to less than 450 million cubic meters per day.
According to this report, the country’s gas production level in 2041 will only be able to meet “one-third” of domestic demand.
Owji, along with the regime’s President Ebrahim Raisi, traveled to Algeria to participate in the meeting of gas-exporting countries.
Owji also claimed that Iran’s annual gas production growth has been over 5 percent in recent years, contradicting official and international statistics that indicate Iran’s gas production growth in 2022 was only 1 percent, with no data yet available for 2023.
Half of Iranians Live in Absolute Poverty
Half of Iranians live below the absolute poverty line, according to a report by the Iranian regime’s Eghtesad 24 website on March 2.
The report highlights the existence of a “broad class divide” in Iran, stating that “half of the Iranian population is below the absolute poverty line.”
Concurrently with the release of this report, discussions regarding the minimum wage for workers in Iran for the coming year continue.
In a situation where even official labor organizations are calling for an increase in the minimum wage to 250 million rials (approximately $420), Davood Manzour, the Vice President and head of the Planning and Budget Organization, stated on March 2 to the semiofficial ILNA news agency that “wages should increase in line with the country’s economic requirements and expected inflation.”
While this official did not provide further explanation, previously, Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, Soulat Mortazavi, had defended a 20% increase in the minimum wage for the next year. This comes as the current inflation rate is more than double the anticipated increase suggested by the Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare for the coming year.
The Eghtesad 24 website noted, “Over the decades, the middle class in society has gradually disappeared, and financial constraints in the country have shifted individuals into the less privileged category.”
At present, the inflation rate is around 45%, and the monthly cost of living, according to labor unions affiliated with the government, is at least 250 million rials.
ILNA news agency reported a few days ago, based on “independent calculations,” that the cost of living for working-class households in major cities has reached 289 million rials (approximately $504).
According to the statistics center of Iran, inflation for food has been “145%” over three consecutive years from September 2020 to September 2023.
This is happening while the minimum wage for married workers with children is around 80 million rials (approximately $135). However, this wage is not paid in workplaces and companies that are exempt from labor law.
Referring to a 2018 research report from the parliament, Eghtesad 24 added, “Between 23% to 40% of the total population of Iran live below the poverty line, according to the same center’s report in October 2020, and due to reports and the unprecedented approach to the fall of the value of Iran’s currency, more than 60% of the total population of Iran live below the poverty line.”
The poverty line, in the sense of the minimum income level for leading a normal life, is what is considered as the threshold for poverty.
Eghtesad 24 added, “At the beginning of this year, with the exchange rate reaching more than 500,000 rials, the poverty line for living in Tehran exceeded 300 million rials. This figure is estimated to be 157 million rials for rural households in Tehran province. Based on this calculation, half of the Iranian population is below the absolute poverty line.”
The website pointed out that the 300 million rial poverty line in Tehran means that “if we consider the minimum price of renting a 60-square-meter house in central Tehran in the best possible condition to be 3 to 5 billion rials (approximately $5,000 to $8,400) and monthly expenses of 100 to 150 million rials (approximately $168 to $252), we will find that almost half of that 300 million will be spent on housing each month.”
According to this report, a family with two earners earning more than 150 million rials should spend half of it on rent and the other half on other necessities for an average life. This is happening while Iranians receive their wages in rials but often deal with expenses in dollars.
In conclusion, the report states that an overview of the last two years shows that the dollar exchange rate has increased from about 260,000 rials to 570,000 rials, gold coins from about 110 million rials to over 300 million rials, the prices of chicken, meat, and cars have more than doubled, liquidity has increased from 37 to 61 trillion rials, and the average housing price has risen from 300 million rials per square meter to over 700 million rials. It considers this a “worrying trend” that “paints a picture of the end of the absolute economic power of the people in the not-too-distant future.”
Nearly 9,000 Iranian Nurses Migrate or Retire Annually
According to officials from the Iranian Nursing Organization, Nearly 9,000 Iranian nurses migrate or retire annually.
In a meeting of the Supreme Nursing Council on March 3, Mohammad Taghi Jahanpour, the head of the Nursing Organization, issued a warning about the state of nursing in Iran, citing the migration of over 2,700 nurses and the retirement of 6,000 nurses annually.
As reported by the news agency affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, Tasnim, Jahanpour referred to this phenomenon as a “serious alarm for the healthcare system.”
Ghasem Abutalebi, the Deputy the Supreme Nursing Council, also stated during the meeting that 6,000 nurses retire in the country each year, emphasizing the urgent need to recruit at least one hundred thousand nursing staff.
Former head of the Nursing Organization, Mohammad Mirzabeygi, had previously announced on December 22, 2023, that “over ten thousand of the most skilled nurses” in Iran have emigrated.
Mirzabeygi attributed the nurses’ migration to the “behavior of officials” and called for the implementation of special payments, hiring of planned personnel, extension of coronavirus-related plans, and the legal and proper implementation of nursing tariff laws as part of the “Seventh Development Plan.”
Abutalebi identified “livelihood problems” and “lack of employment” as factors contributing to the migration of some nurses. He mentioned that the failure to provide satisfactory services to nurses leads to a “decline in the quality of nursing care and an increase in patient mortality.”
In recent years, nurses have staged protests demanding attention to their demands.
Many regime officials and stakeholders in the healthcare sector have warned about the widespread wave of nurse migration, expressing dissatisfaction with the insufficient and inadequate replacement of nursing staff.
The head of the Iranian Nursing Organization had previously cautioned that “five to six nurses leave the country daily, and between 100 to 150 nurses migrate monthly.”
Mohammad Sharifi-Moghaddam, the Secretary-General of the Nurses’ House, also stated on November 12, 2023, that “over three thousand nurses” leave the country annually, emphasizing the severity of the nursing shortage, which results in patients losing their lives.
Iran’s Parliamentary Election Met With Widespread Boycott
Despite extensive efforts by Iran’s regime to convince the people to vote in its sham parliamentary elections, the event, held on March 1, was met with widespread boycott by a public that is fed up with tyranny, lack of freedoms, and corruption. According to reports by Iranian dissidents, voting stations were empty in most locations in both large and small cities across the country.
Iran’s recent parliamentary elections have sparked controversy and debate, particularly regarding the actual participation rate and the perceived legitimacy of the electoral process.
The actual participation rate in Iran’s recent elections was a mere 8.2%, equivalent to approximately 5 million people, according to the Iranian opposition. This starkly contrasts with official figures released by Iranian authorities, which reported a significantly higher turnout. The discrepancy raises questions about the transparency and accuracy of the electoral process.
The low participation rate is indicative of a broader dissatisfaction among the Iranian population, questioning the legitimacy of the election results. While the government insists on the credibility of the electoral process, these claims suggest a disconnect between official figures and the sentiments of a significant portion of the population.
According to on-the-ground observations of the election day, detailing instances of widespread public apathy and boycotting. The reports highlight empty polling stations, long lines at supermarkets, and the overall lack of enthusiasm among citizens.
The Iranian people characterize the parliamentary elections as a “sham,” emphasizing the deliberate efforts by the Iranian regime to maintain control through an illusion of democratic participation. The reports suggest that the government’s attempts to present a façade of electoral engagement are failing to resonate with the population, leading to a significant boycott.
The apparent discrepancy between official figures and the reports made by the Iranian dissidents raises concerns about the transparency of Iran’s electoral process. The low participation rate underscores the erosion of trust in the government among a substantial portion of the population. The perceived lack of legitimacy in the electoral process may have broader implications, including anti-regime protests in the future by a population that no longer believes in political institutions.
As announced by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), this was effectively a referendum and a vote by the Iranian people in favor of overthrowing the religious dictatorship.
Iran’s People on Verge of Requesting Loans For “Bananas, Flour, Milk”
On February 28, the state-run Shargh daily, referring to the dire economic situation of the people and the government’s solutions, wrote, “It seems there isn’t much distance to getting loans for buying bananas, flour, or milk.”
Shargh added that in recent years, people have moved from loans for buying houses and cars to loans for down payments on housing and purchasing household goods.
According to the newspaper, with the worsening of people’s economic and living conditions, the situation has escalated to buying meat, chicken, and even installment plans for clothing. Today, people have to take loans to buy nuts and fruits for the Persian new year (Mars 21).
Shargh referred to the news from the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade about a 200 million rial (approximately $337) loan for buying new year necessities.
The newspaper added that the bitter narrative of the decline in purchasing power has reached a point where on the very day the inspector of the Supreme Council of Workers’ Representatives announces the poverty line for a four-person family is at least 250 million rials, on the other side, the head of the Public Services Office of the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade announces the allocation of loans to Eid buyers.
Earlier, Hamidreza Emamgholitabar, an inspector of the Supreme Council of Workers’ Representatives, had stated that in the current conditions, the poverty line for a family of four has exceeded 250 million rials (approximately $425). The minimum monthly wage for married workers with children in the current year is about 80 million rials (approximately $136).
The author of the mentioned report recalled that when the idea of a down payment loan for housing was introduced, people found it an unpleasant event, indicating how hope and expectations in society have reached a level where people not only cannot afford to buy a house but also face difficulties in renting a basic shelter.
Referring to the down payment loan for housing is, in fact, a review of a trend that Shargh has chosen to illustrate the unfortunate trend in society.
The newspaper noted that people have become accustomed to seeing billboards with the phrase “installment sale” in butcher shops, clothing stores, dried fruit shops, and even cosmetic and hygiene products.
According to the regime’s Mehr News Agency, Mohammad Hossein Ghamary, the head of the Public Services Office of the Ministry of Industry, said that people can register for the Eid sale through banks with credit verification in March and pay the money later.
He announced zero interest in the credit plan and promised that after credit verification, no checks or promissory notes would be required as collateral.
This approach by the Ministry of Industry, along with continuing subsidy payments, living expenses assistance, and electronic food coupons next year, as well as assistance plans under the title of “Fajr Assistance,” is seen by experts as the government’s anticipation of worsening economic and living conditions. They believe that the continuation of these policies will be ineffective in alleviating some of the pressures.
Iran: 38% Food Inflation, Higher Than Annual Inflation
The inflation rate for food items is 38%, higher than the annual inflation rate, according to published statistics.
A report by the regime’s Jamaran website on February 29 indicated that canned tuna was at the top of the list of items experiencing higher inflation than the annual rate.
Based on the report, after tuna, other food items such as beef or veal, lamb meat, mushrooms, raisins, rainbow trout, watermelon, cantaloupe, processed chicken, powdered milk, pistachios, walnut kernels, packaged foreign tea, sugar, dry sweets, walnut kernels, sugar, and oranges have prices exceeding the average annual inflation rate of 36%.
According to Jamaran, within the “Dairy, Egg, and Various Oils” group, the highest price increase compared to the previous month was related to “dry milk” with 9.3%, and “pasteurized butter” with 1.1%.
In the red meat, white meat, and their products group, “rainbow trout” with 3.2%, “lamb meat” with 2.9%, and “canned tuna” with 2% had the highest price increases compared to the previous month.
Additionally, the state-run Tajarat News website reported that the Iranian Statistical Center published consumer price index data for February, showing that over the 12 months ending in February, the prices of all 10 subgroups related to food and beverages have been on an upward trend.
As a result, the inflation rate for food in February was recorded between 22% and 93%, surpassing the annual average inflation rate of this group, which reached 45.1%, exceeding the overall average inflation rate by 2.6%.
The severe inflation of essential goods has led to a decrease in their purchase by citizens, and these items have been either excluded or significantly reduced from the usual monthly shopping basket of most Iranian households.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the Livestock Union stated on February 26th that, based on official statistics indicating an “18% decrease” in the livestock population in January compared to the same month last year, the production situation is not favorable.
On this basis, the “price growth of meat” in February was not limited to red meat, and fish meat also experienced a considerable price increase, registering a “64% inflation rate” and securing the second position in price increases.
At the same time, “fruits and dried fruits” also experienced inflation “over 50%” in February, with an average price increase of “51%.”
Earlier, Hamidreza Emamgholitabar, an inspector of the Supreme Council of Workers’ Representatives, had stated that in the current conditions, the poverty line for a family of four has exceeded 250 million rials (approximately $425). The minimum monthly wage for married workers with children in the current year is about 80 million rials (approximately $136).
Two groups, “sweets and milk, cheese, and eggs,” have become “35% more expensive” to the final consumer over the 12 months ending in February. The inflation in “vegetables and legumes” has also reached 35%, so they do not lag other calculated items.
According to Tajarat News, only two commodity groups (oils and fats – bread and cereals) have inflation “less than 35%,” and these two groups have previously set records for price hikes, likely having experienced inflation before.
The regime’s Eco Iran economic website had announced in a report on Feb 25 that the “Index of Misery” in the country was equal to “52 units” in the fall of 2023.
The regime’s Etemad had previously written that the “minimum daily wage” for the labor community has reached “about 1,770,000 rials (approximately$3)” for this year, indicating a “high gap” with the purchasing power of a wide spectrum of goods in Iran.
Iran: Former Minister of Agriculture Involved in $18.7 Million Fraud
The Iranian regime’s Rouydad 24 website reported that Javad Sadatinejad, the former Minister of Agriculture in Ebrahim Raisi’s government, has been accused of crossing the boundaries of corruption during his 20-month tenure in the ministry. It is alleged that he was involved in a corruption scheme amounting to 11 trillion rials (approximately $18.7 million) in the import of livestock feed.
Previously, Sadatinejad’s name had been mentioned in connection with a $750 million corruption case related to the import of tea, known as “Debsh tea,” and many believed that this was the reason for his dismissal from the Ministry of Agriculture. However, new documents obtained by Rouydad 24 reveal his involvement in corruption related to the import of livestock feed.
According to the report, the former minister not only recommended a contract for the import of essential goods with an inexperienced company but also instructed them to sell the goods they didn’t purchase to the public.
Rouydad 24 stated that the General Inspection Organization of the country was the first entity to investigate this case.
The report from the inspection organization revealed that the Rural Cooperation Organization, affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture, signed a contract with a private company called Aryo Tajarate Soheil.
According to this contract, the company was granted a license to import 18.3 million tons of essential agricultural products, including livestock feed.
Surprisingly, the Rural Cooperation Organization itself has the authority to handle the import of essential goods and livestock feed.
Rouydad 24 added, “Aryo Tajarate Soheil received 4.24 trillion rials (approximately $7.31 million) for imports but only succeeded in importing 24,000 tons, approximately 5% of its commitments. In return for this shortfall, it transferred 49% of the company’s shares to the government.”
According to the inspection organization’s investigation, this company had no prior experience in importing livestock feed before entering into the contract with the Rural Cooperation Organization.
The report further stated that the Ministry of Agriculture’s violations did not end with signing a contract with an inexperienced company and its failure to fulfill the contract. In April 2022, despite knowing about the absence of livestock feed in the country’s customs and ports, the Ministry of Agriculture sold over 511,000 tons of livestock feed through fake orders and loading counterfeit shipments in the official market system, collecting 11.71 trillion rials (approximately $20 million) from the public for nonexistent goods.
Roudad 24, citing documents in its possession, announced that the case for investigating corruption in the import of livestock feed was initiated in July 2022 in the regime’s judiciary.
After one and a half years, the indictment of this case was prepared in January 2024 in Branch One of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran, specializing in economic crimes.
Based on this, Sadatinejad is accused in this case of offenses such as “disruption of the country’s monetary or currency system through large-scale currency smuggling or counterfeiting of coins or banknotes,” “complicity in disrupting the country’s economic system, production system, and distribution of livestock products,” and “special privileges of the Ministry of Agriculture to Aryo Tajarate Soheil.”
In addition to the former minister of Ebrahim Raisi’s government, names of other individuals from the Revolutionary Guards are also prominent in this case.
On December 9, 2023, the regime’s Etemad Online published an infographic stating that embezzlers are competing with each other to deceive the people of Iran.
The media listed 14 embezzlements and large financial corruption cases from 1992 to 2024.
Hamzatollah Fallahatpisheh, a former representative of the regime’s parliament, said on December 16, 2023, that the total embezzlement in major corruption cases in the Iranian regime amounts to $57 billion.
US, UK Sanction IRGC Deputy Commander, Affiliates
The U.S. and Britain have imposed sanctions against two individuals and three organizations affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force for facilitating the activities of Houthi paramilitaries supported by the Iranian regime in Yemen.
On February 27, the British Foreign Ministry announced that the new sanctions target Mohammad Reza Fallahzadeh, the deputy commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards; three units of the Quds Force of the IRGC; Saeed al-Jamal, an Iranian resident and businessman; and Ali Hussein Badr-al-ddin al-Houthi, the deputy minister of the Houthi government.
Washington, on Tuesday, also sanctioned Ibrahim al-Nasheri, a Houthi member, in addition to Mohammad Reza Fallahzadeh.
Fallahzadeh, also known as Abu Baqer, was appointed as the deputy commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards in March 2021. He is one of the lesser-known senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guards.
The U.S. Treasury Department also announced the inclusion of two registered companies in Hong Kong and the Marshall Islands in its list of sanctions. It has also imposed sanctions on two cargo ships, one of which had transported about $100 million worth of goods to China.
Two other companies, acting on behalf of the Iranian Ministry of Defense to deliver goods to Chinese companies through the same ship, have also joined the sanctions list of this department.
The three units sanctioned by Britain are responsible for arms transfer and smuggling to organizations, groups, and governments under the protection of the Iranian regime, as well as operational responsibilities in the Arabian Peninsula and research, development, and technical support for groups supported by the Iranian regime.
David Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary, said in a statement issued by the country’s Foreign Ministry that the attacks by Iran-backed Houthi forces are unacceptable, illegal, and a threat to innocent lives and freedom of navigation.
He added, that as he has told the Iranian Foreign Minister, the Iranian regime is responsible for these attacks due to its extensive military support for the Houthis. Shipping in the Red Sea has been severely threatened since November due to repeated drone and missile attacks by Houthi forces in the region. Houthi paramilitaries claim that these attacks are in support of the Palestinians and have stated that they will continue these attacks. U.S. and British forces have conducted several attacks on Houthi facilities in response to their attacks. The United States and Britain had previously imposed sanctions on the Houthis. In late January, they announced new sanctions on four senior officials of the Houthi group for their role in directing or supporting direct attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. Officials of these two countries separately stated on January 25 that Mohammed Nasser al-Atifi, the Houthi defense minister; Mohammed Fadel Abdul Nabi, the commander of the group’s navy; Mohammed Ali al-Qudairi, the commander of the coastal defense of the Houthis; and Mohammed Ahmad al-Talebi, who is said to be responsible for the supplies of Houthi forces, have been placed on the sanctions list. The Houthis, who receive support from the Iranian regime, have also returned to the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations.Today, we are sanctioning key figures supporting the Houthis, who continue their attacks in the Red Sea.
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) February 27, 2024
We will not stand by as the Houthis put innocent lives at risk, threaten regional stability and harm the global economy. pic.twitter.com/88bIRFppoB
Iran’s Currency Continues to Decline
The trend of the decline in the national currency value continues, according to statements from market players and prices listed on websites and information channels for gold and currency prices.
The exchange rate for the US dollar has reached 580,000 rials, experiencing significant fluctuations in recent months, ranging from 500,000 to 600,000 rials and then returning to 540,000 rials.
Some experts believe that considering the fiscal policies of the United States and the approach of neighboring countries like Iran regarding currency affairs, the upward trend of the dollar’s value will persist.
Reuters reported on February 4 that eight Iraqi banks were banned from US dollar transactions after a senior US Treasury official visited Iraq.
Earlier, the Iraqi government had already prohibited banks and currency exchanges in the country from engaging in currency transactions with Iran.
Prior to this, a spokesperson for the US Treasury stated that Washington would continue to be a partner with Iraq in protecting its financial sector against the misuse by the Islamic Republic of Iran or other malicious actors.
The fall of the Iranian stock market
Simultaneously with the continued increase in the dollar’s price in the Iranian market, the capital market faced its “second winter decline.” An economic expert states that those remaining in the Iranian stock market are experiencing the “Stockholm Syndrome.” News outlets report that the market index has once again fallen to its support level, around two million units, in the latest month. The regime’s Mehr News Agency also announced that the overall stock index experienced a “hard drop of over 16,000 units” at the end of trading on February 27, with the current “value of retail transactions at its lowest level.” According to the report, a kind of stagnation and recession has gripped the capital market, with “560 stock symbols in a negative situation” and only “34 symbols in a buying queue” in the February 27 transactions. Some media outlets have also referred to the 112 billion dollars decline in the total value of the capital market since the beginning of the thirteenth government and announced that its current value is “144 billion dollars.” In recent days, as the capital market in Iran continues its downward trend, some shareholders held protest gatherings in front of the Tehran Stock Exchange building. It is noteworthy that the financial literacy score of Iranians is around “35 out of 100,” lower than the scores of Yemenis, Cambodians, and Paraguayans, according to a survey. Reports also suggest that the poverty line in Iran for a four-member family has exceeded 250 million rials (approximately $431), and the living conditions for the people have become very difficult, with an expected “100% increase in inflation,” as inflation exceeding 50% adds further challenges. It is worth mentioning that the minimum wage for workers until March 2024 is approximately 80 million rials (approximately $174), while the poverty line in Tehran is more than 300 million rials (approximately $517). Morteza Afghah, an economist affiliated with the government, stated on October 18, 2023, that in the most optimistic scenario, 30 million out of Iran’s population of 88 million are below the absolute poverty line. However, the budget for 2024 will exacerbate the poverty and misery of the Iranian people. A significant portion of Iran’s oil income is being used for the Revolutionary Guards’ intervention and warmongering in the Middle East.Misery Index Increase in 25 Provinces of Iran
Iranian media have reported an increase in the Misery index over the past year in 25 provinces of Iran.
The economic website Eco Iran has announced in a report that in the fall of 2023, the misery index across the country was 52 units.
According to Eco Iran’s report, this fall, the Misery level in urban areas was 52.3 units, while in rural areas, it was 51.7 units, indicating a 0.6-unit higher Misery rate in cities compared to villages.
The report indicates that the highest level of Misery is in the cities of Lorestan province with 64.2 units.
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Yazd, and Sistan and Baluchestan are other provinces with the highest Misery levels in their cities.
On the other hand, the lowest Misery level is in the cities of Tehran province with 44.5 units.
The misery index reflects the difficulty of the economic situation in society, derived from the total inflation and unemployment rates.
Some experts believe that the misery index is distant from the actual situation in Iran because the compilation of inflation and unemployment statistics in Iran involves manipulation of numbers and economic definitions by government institutions. Therefore, independent experts always consider the real situation to be more severe than the figures announced by government institutions.
