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Iran is facing a severe convergence of economic, environmental, and social crises, with new reports indicating the poverty line has surged to an unprecedented 55 million tomans per month while Tehran’s water supply is nearing critical failure.
The deepening desperation was starkly illustrated by the public self-immolation of another municipal worker and widespread protests by bakers over soaring costs.
The 55 Million Toman Poverty Line
Economic analysts and field reports paint a grim picture of hyperinflation and a collapsing standard of living. The poverty line for a four-person family is now cited as exceeding 55 million tomans.
This figure stands in sharp contrast to the average national salary, estimated at approximately 17 million tomans, leaving a vast portion of the population unable to afford basic necessities.
Sources point to food inflation running at 100% over the past year, with staples like bread and grains doubling in price. Despite government claims of reducing inflation, critics allege the regime is “politicizing” the index and hiding the reality of shrinking household purchasing power, which has forced families to eliminate items like meat and fruit from their diets.
Labor market expert Hamid Haj-Esmaeili warned that the 55 million toman poverty line may rise further by the end of the year. The crisis is compounded by a 35 trillion toman monthly deficit in the Social Security Fund and a burgeoning informal economy that now reportedly accounts for over 55% of the market, eroding labor rights and oversight.
How Many #Iranians Live Below the #Poverty Line?https://t.co/fClcBw6aLX
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 11, 2024
Critical Water Shortage Hits Tehran and 46 Other Cities
In a separate but equally urgent crisis, government officials have issued a dire warning about the nation’s water supply. Aa spokesman for the water industry, Isa Bozorgzadeh, announced on November 16 that Tehran’s dams only hold enough water to last until the end of the month of Aban on Persian calendar (late November).
The crisis is not limited to the capital. A total of 46 cities, including major population centers like Mashhad, Tabriz, and Isfahan, are reportedly facing severe water shortages.
The government’s response has drawn sharp criticism. According to a report from the state-affiliated Eghtesad 120 website, one state-affiliated expert blasted officials for a lack of coherent planning. The expert specifically cited the president’s reported suggestion to “evacuate Tehran” as “strange and incomprehensible,” asking, “What does that mean? Where will we take them? To the Qom desert?”
Why #Iran Is Running Out of Water, Power — and Patiencehttps://t.co/9ZghlJCNpO
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) August 13, 2025
Growing Social Unrest
The extreme economic pressure has triggered desperate acts of protest. On Sunday, November 16, social media reports indicated that Fereydoon Rostami, a long-time municipal employee in Marivan, set himself on fire to protest “pressure and threats from security guards.” His colleagues reportedly extinguished the flames, but security forces allegedly cordoned off the area to prevent information from spreading.
Simultaneously, the rising cost of bread has sparked protests by bakers in Mashhad, Ahvaz, Tehran, and other cities. According to the ILNA news agency, bakers are demonstrating against the government’s failure to pay promised subsidies, even as bread prices have doubled in the last year. The agency warned that the official price hikes in Mashhad are likely to be replicated nationwide, dealing “another shock to workers’ household budgets.”
Analysts cited in the reports describe the situation as a “gradual collapse” stemming from systemic mismanagement. They frame the 55 million toman poverty line not just as a statistic, but as a “symbol of economic collapse” that is pushing Iranian society toward a “social explosion.”