Iranians report layoffs, soaring prices and empty tables
Iran International viewers reported widespread layoffs, soaring prices of basic goods, unemployment, food insecurity and growing inability to pay rent, as economic pressure deepens during the war.
One viewer said at least 2,000 people had been laid off across production, industrial and service units in Rasht, a city in northern Iran.
Another viewer said Islamic Republic state TV’s news channel had run a caption saying Iran was at war, basic goods were expensive and people should “get used to it.”
A former worker at the Marvdasht petrochemical complex in Fars province said he had been laid off and had been unemployed for two months.
“I have an elderly mother and I am ashamed before her,” the viewer said. “We have reduced our food consumption to one meal a day, and even that is barely manageable. I have not paid rent either. The situation is terrible.”
“Prices here have increased tenfold and rice and cooking oil are hard to find,” one resident wrote from Zahedan in southeastern Iran, pointing to worsening access to staple goods.
Other citizens described the rapid erosion of purchasing power. “We go to sleep and wake up to everything being twice as expensive,” one message said, reflecting widespread concern over accelerating inflation.
Food costs climb, access narrows
Messages from multiple cities highlighted steep increases in the cost of everyday items. Citizens said even the most basic foods were becoming unaffordable, with eggs, rice and cooking oil among the hardest hit.
“Eggs have become so expensive they are being removed from our tables,” one citizen wrote, describing the shrinking range of affordable protein options.
Restaurant prices were also cited as an indicator of inflation. Citizens said a single serving of kebab now costs between 5,000,000 and 6,000,000 rials (about $3.10 to $3.75), while a plate of chicken with rice ranges from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 rials (about $1.90 to $2.50). Soft drinks were reported to exceed 1,000,000 rials (about $0.60).
Based on an exchange rate of around 1,600,000 rials per dollar, the new minimum monthly wage of 162,550,000 rials is equivalent to roughly $104. This comes as annual inflation had already exceeded 70 percent before the start war on February 28, reaching its highest level since World War II.
As of late 2025/early 2026, average Iranian incomes have contracted to roughly $200 per month.
Shortages compounded the problem. Messages described difficulty finding chicken in distribution centers and limits on purchasing cooking oil in shops. Others pointed to disruptions in supply chains linked to industrial slowdowns and rising production costs.
Economic journalist Arash Azarmi said the surge in food prices was hitting lower-income households hardest. “Eggs priced at 200,000 rials ($0.12) each are shocking. This is a basic food item, especially for lower-income households, and it is effectively being pushed out of their consumption basket,” Azarmi said.
Official data, he added, already showed food inflation exceeding 112 percent, with some categories such as cooking oil rising by more than 200 percent.
Iran’s monthly minimum wage for workers is set at one of the lowest levels compared to many countries in the region. Among Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq, Qatar, Pakistan and Lebanon, the lowest minimum wage belongs to Pakistan, where workers earn at least the equivalent of $133. This figure is about $201 in Lebanon, around $275 in Qatar, about $345 in Iraq, and $625 and $585 in Turkey and Oman, respectively.
Pressure spreads beyond food
Beyond rising prices, citizens said financial obligations continued to tighten during and after the conflict period, adding to the strain on households and businesses.
“During the war there was no tax relief, insurance was taken in full from the private sector, and all loans faced late penalties despite earlier promises,” one message said, describing continued pressure on businesses.
Another citizen pointed to mounting banking enforcement and legal follow-up tied to unpaid debts. “All checks were bounced, accounts were closed and legal action started. Loan installments were either collected with interest or deducted from guarantors,” the message read.
Business owners described a cycle of rising costs and falling demand. A clothing seller said prices for goods were increasing by around 35 percent each week, while customers’ ability to pay continued to decline.
Jobs scarce, costs rising
Citizens also pointed to a lack of job opportunities and growing difficulty in covering basic living expenses, including rent and utilities.
“There is no work and our savings are gone,” one citizen said, describing limited options for supplementing income.
Others reported rising bills even as businesses slowed or shut down. “We cannot pay rent, we cannot work,” another citizen wrote, pointing to disruptions affecting daily commerce.
Small business owners said they were increasingly operating at a loss. One restaurant operator said higher meat prices and reduced customer demand were pushing the business toward closure. “If this continues, we will shut down and pay rent from our own pockets,” the message read.
Experts warn of accelerating inflation
Economist Mohammad Machinechian said the pace of price increases had reached a point where monthly inflation was more relevant than annual figures.
“I’m no longer talking about annual inflation, but monthly inflation, and that is the reality we’re dealing with,” Machinechian said. “Even in the best-case scenario, inflation could average at least 5 percent a month, meaning prices rise around 80 percent over a year.”
Machinechian added that in a prolonged stalemate scenario, prices could triple over the year, while renewed conflict could push monthly inflation above 20 percent, leading to annual increases approaching 500 percent.
Azarmi described the situation as a “modern famine,” where goods remain available but are increasingly unaffordable for many households.
The accounts from citizens across the country depict an economy where rapid price increases, supply constraints and falling incomes are converging, leaving many struggling to secure even the most basic necessities.
"I want this account recorded so that if I live, I can testify in any court, and if I do not, this narrative tells part of the crime that happened in those two nights in Mashhad... Our war with the Islamic Republic continues in the streets. I estimate my chances of staying alive in the coming days at about 20 percent."
These were the last words the young man shared with Iran International before he went missing a few days after the January massacre. There has been no news of his fate for more than eight weeks while the Iranian government continues to cut internet and phone lines.
Witness accounts and reports reaching Iran International describe a coordinated massacre in the city on January 8 and 9, as security forces used a communications blackout to open fire on crowds with live ammunition.
Snipers on rooftops
On Tabarsi Street in Mashhad, members of the Revolutionary Guard took positions on rooftops starting at 9 p.m. Witnesses said they fired directly into the crowds. Plainclothes agents moved through the smoke of tear gas to kill protesters with handguns.
"From 10 p.m. onwards, the number of dead bodies lying on the ground was so high that the smell of blood was clearly felt in the air," one witness told Iran International. He added that security forces attacked an ambulance at midnight and killed or wounded protesters with "finish-off" shots.
Mass burials in secret
At Behesht-e Rezvan cemetery in Mashhad, a source familiar with the matter said the head of the facility reported that more than 400 bodies arrived on the night of January 9. Many could not be identified because they were shot in the face and neck.
Reports indicate that authorities carried out mass burials. The source who was present at the cemetery told Iran International that about 400 people were buried together in a single instance because their faces were unrecognizable from gunshot wounds.
Orders to spread fear
A source within the Khorasan Razavi Governor’s Office told Iran International that provincial leaders met on the morning of January 9. The instruction from higher authorities was to suppress the protests at any cost.
"It was stated that it does not matter how many are killed: 'Just scare the people in such a way that on January 10, no one dares to come to the street and protest,'" the source said.
Firefighters killed for helping
The crackdown also hit emergency workers. Firefighters in Mashhad were ordered by the municipality to participate in the suppression, but many refused and helped the protesters instead.
Hamid Mahdavi, a firefighter and athlete, was shot and killed while helping protesters. Other firefighters who refused the orders have been arrested.
At Farabi Hospital in Mashhad, a nurse said staff issued 500 death certificates between midnight and 7 a.m. on January 10.
In the courtyard of the Chamran clinic, a woman searching for her husband described seeing bodies in black covers stacked in three rows. She said a large trailer arrived and workers with covered faces began throwing more bodies from the vehicle onto the courtyard floor.
The Iranian government has maintained an internet and phone blackout for more than eight weeks. Iran International reports that the Islamic Republic killed more than 36,500 protesters across Iran during the two nights of Jan. 8 and 9.
“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 debts,” a citizen wrote in a message to Iran International.
Another said: “As a student and computer technician, I am stuck in uncertainty. Online classes are heavily disrupted, and I cannot even access the internet to complete projects. My workplace has no customers.”
NetBlocks said on Thursday the disruption had lasted 1,128 hours, describing the shutdown as unprecedented in scale for a country with deep reliance on global connectivity. The group added that its estimate, based on its COST methodology, also reflects wider social and human rights impacts.
Digital economy grinds to a halt
The outage has hit Iran’s digital sector, which had absorbed part of the country’s unemployment pressure over the past decade. Online businesses have lost access to customers, payment systems, and essential tools tied to the global internet.
The Rokna news website said on Wednesday the disruption amounted to a shutdown of the digital economy, noting that the cut to international internet access dealt a direct blow to online businesses.
Hundreds of small digital enterprises have been unable to maintain sales, customer communication, or after-sales services. Layoffs have spread across technology firms and media organizations, affecting employees whose work depends on stable connectivity, the outlet added.
Journalists and media workers have also faced income losses and job cuts as communication channels narrowed and publishing operations slowed, according to the report.
Workers face mounting financial strain
“I managed to connect briefly using expensive VPNs, but I have lost my job due to the internet disruption. I have loans to repay and rent to cover, and many others are in the same situation,” another citizen told Iran International.
Accounts from across the country point to a broader slowdown. “Prices have increased several times over. Many people have lost their jobs. At least 50 percent of shops are closed,” one resident said, adding that only essential services such as repair shops and small markets remain partially active.
Delays in salary payments have become more common in some businesses, increasing pressure on workers already affected by rising prices. Inflation has further reduced real wages, leaving even those still employed struggling to cover basic living costs.
Professional networks also reflect the downturn. Users on LinkedIn have publicly said they are seeking new job opportunities, indicating a rise in job seekers among skilled and experienced workers.
Experts warn of lasting damage
Economic journalist Arezoo Karimi said the losses extend beyond immediate income declines, warning of wider consequences for employment and growth.
“This means zero income for businesses that depend on international connectivity. It leads to layoffs and rising unemployment,” Karimi said, adding that daily losses run into tens of millions of dollars.
Karimi said the broader economic impact could reach several times the direct losses, pointing to reduced production and slower economic growth. Inflation, already elevated, is likely to worsen if disruptions continue.
“Businesses are not only losing income, they are losing their position in international markets and online visibility. These are damages that cannot easily be reversed,” Karimi added.
With limited access to global markets and tools, many digital workers now face a choice between prolonged uncertainty and leaving the country.
The outage has exposed the dependence of Iran’s digital economy on stable international connectivity, with weeks of disruption enough to dismantle businesses built over years.
