Iranian families grapple with soaring food costs amid war and sanctions

Iran is experiencing a dramatic rise in food costs, with the Statistical Centre of Iran reporting a 128 % jump in food inflation during the month of Tir and most major food categories climbing past the 100 % mark. Citizens in Tehran’s southern districts describe abandoning traditional purchases like red meat and high-quality oils, while a grocery owner in the north notes customers now inquire only about prices and request credit despite volatile wholesale rates.

The price spikes affect essential items such as oil (up 261.5 %), dairy (147.1 %), meat (145.2 %) and bread (116.7 %). These pressures come amid a naval blockade, successive wars with the United States and Israel, and a collapsing rial, turning previously stable middle-class households into what one architect calls “the wealthy poor.”