Iranians report deepening hardship as medicine shortages hit patients

Iranians have sent messages to Iran International describing worsening economic hardship, job losses, stalled trade and shortages of some essential medicines.

One message from Tehran said Jadenu tablets and Novartis-made Desferal injections, key medicines for thalassemia patients, had become unavailable.

The sender said domestic alternatives were low-quality, ineffective and carried serious side effects, warning that without proper medicine, 23,000 thalassemia patients could face heart and liver failure and painful death.

Another person, who said they work in Eshtehard Industrial Town, Alborz province, said many companies had laid off workers, while some had cut wages by half and removed lunch and transport services.

A message from the southern port city of Genaveh said the local market had stalled because traders could no longer bring goods from the UAE.

The sender said stocks of mobile phone accessories, clothes, shoes and other goods usually imported from the UAE were running out.