Unemployment rises in Iran due to war and sanctions
The situation on Iran’s labor market is worsening: because of the war, tightened sanctions, restrictions on internet access, and disruptions to trade, many people have lost their main jobs, while some have also lost the opportunity to earn additional income. NPR World reports.
Iran’s official unemployment rate stands at 9%, but independent analysts believe the real figure is significantly higher. At the end of April, the Iranian job search portal Jobvision recorded a 50% increase in the number of submitted résumés. In May, Alireza Mahjoub, head of the Workers House organization, acknowledged on state television that the scale of unemployment had proved greater than expected.
Job losses and internet restrictions
Rasul, a 42-year-old engineer from Tehran, worked at a technology company but lost his job in mid-February. According to him, the company’s operations suffered after Iranian authorities significantly restricted internet access in January while suppressing protests. The company depended on international networks and began losing clients because of the disruptions.
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After being laid off, Rasul began working nights as a driver for Snapp, an Iranian equivalent of Uber. However, rising fuel prices, car repair costs, and the danger of traveling around the city during airstrikes made this income insufficient. He later had to ask relatives for financial assistance. In July, he found a job as a sales manager, but does not consider his situation stable.
Maritime trade comes to a halt
The problems also affected businesses dependent on raw material supplies. Kayvan, a materials engineer from Tehran, helped a Chinese company establish a business supplying materials for Iran’s oil sector. After the escalation of hostilities, maritime trade stopped: according to him, transit and shipping routes were closed, and transportation through the Strait of Hormuz became impossible.
When clients stopped placing orders, the business ceased operations, leaving Kayvan without a position. His family lives on his wife’s income and personal savings, which are rapidly shrinking amid inflation and sharp price increases.
