Poverty has become one of the most pressing social issues in Iran, exacerbated by tension-inducing policies and the inefficient management of the current regime. The widening poverty gap is not only a sign of economic mismanagement but has led to a range of alarming consequences, such as rising crime rates, increased school dropouts, and a growing underclass that struggles to meet basic needs. While Iranian officials acknowledge the widespread poverty, they have yet to release accurate statistics on its true extent.
In a recent statement, Ebrahim Sadeghifar, head of the Labor and Social Security Institute, revealed that between 22% and 27% of the Iranian population is living in poverty. These individuals are facing significant difficulties in meeting their basic needs. He emphasized that poverty in Iran has transcended marginal concerns and has now become an undeniable reality for many.
In a report by Jamaran website, Sadeghifar further highlighted the lack of education as a key consequence of poverty, noting that economic hardship has led to an increasing number of children being unable to access schooling. Economic analysts have pointed out that, over the past few years, a significant portion of the middle class has fallen below the poverty line, with many experiencing what is termed “extreme poverty”—a situation where individuals have no income and cannot afford basic necessities.
The Minister of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare recently confirmed that approximately 30% of Iran’s population, or 25.4 million people, are now living below the poverty line, unable to cover even their most basic living expenses. However, despite these alarming figures, comparisons between inflation rates and income levels indicate that many segments of Iranian society have witnessed a substantial decline in their quality of life.
In 2023, the poverty line for a family of four in Tehran was set at around 20 million tomans per month. By 2024, this figure had surged to over 25 million tomans. A combination of factors—rising inflation, the depreciation of the national currency, high unemployment, inefficient policies, systemic inequality, and a foreign policy that has escalated tensions—has contributed to this deepening poverty crisis.
While the Iranian government remains reluctant to raise the salaries of workers, retirees, and civil servants in line with inflation, it has continued to allocate substantial amounts of money to religious and military institutions. For example, the regime allocated 830 billion tomans to the Islamic Propaganda Office of the Qom Seminary in the 2024 national budget. This amount is equivalent to the monthly salary of approximately 80,000 workers, based on the minimum wage of 9.3 million tomans.
Over the past decade, the Islamic Propaganda Office has received more than 2.5 trillion tomans from public funds. A review of annual budget laws between 2011 and 2024 shows that the budget for the regime’s seminaries has increased 25-fold, while the budget for teachers’ salaries has risen less than 16-fold during the same period. This growing disparity highlights the regime’s priorities, which have consistently favored religious and military institutions over the needs of ordinary citizens.
Meanwhile, ordinary Iranians are bearing the brunt of these misallocations. A report from Etemad newspaper revealed that approximately 70% of medical costs in Iran are paid out-of-pocket by patients, pushing many into poverty after undergoing even minor medical treatments. This financial burden often forces people to stop treatment entirely, further exacerbating the cycle of poverty. The impact is clear: families are falling deeper into poverty, even as the state continues to funnel resources into special institutions that serve the interests of the regime.
The widening gap between the rich and the poor, the growing number of Iranians living below the poverty line, and the state’s consistent mismanagement of resources paint a stark picture of a nation in crisis. As Iran’s economic policies continue to fail its citizens, the consequences of poverty—such as poor health outcomes, lack of education, and rising crime—are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. The regime’s failure to address these issues threatens the stability of Iranian society, leaving millions struggling to survive amid growing inequality and economic decline.
Source » irannewsupdate