Iranians say wages vanish under rent, food and medical costs

A government employee in Dorud, in western Lorestan province, said a monthly salary of 20 million tomans, about $115 at the current rate, no longer covered basic needs.

“Half of this wage goes to rent, and the other half goes to medicine and doctors,” the message said. “Nothing is left for food and clothing.”

Another message said a salary below 50 million tomans, about $287, could no longer support a family of four, while one person said only three million tomans, about $17, remained from their monthly pay by the end of the month.

“With this situation, we have to fill ourselves with bread and water,” the message said.

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  Millions face poverty as Iran’s economy reels from war and sanctions

Healthcare costs were also cited as a growing burden. A 51-year-old resident of Isfahan said an orthopedic visit cost one million tomans, about $6, and two prescribed scans would have cost four million tomans, about $23, each.

“I did not have the money, so I gave up,” the resident said.

Another message said medicine had become scarce and sharply more expensive, while insurance covered almost none of the costs of visits, treatment or tests. A monthly prescription that previously cost 200,000 tomans, about $1, had risen to 1.35 million tomans, about $8, the message said.

A separate message from Isfahan said most autism centers in the city had raised fees by 80%, leaving them far less crowded.

Others pointed to daily goods becoming unaffordable, citing a simple ice cream at 80,000 tomans, about 46 cents, and a 1.5-liter bottle of water at 35,000 tomans, about 20 cents.

“This is no longer inflation,” one message from Shahreza said. “It is swelling and bruising.”

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  Can Iran’s economy survive a twin squeeze from blockade and blackout?

Kuwait said on Wednesday that Iranian missile and drone attacks on civilian and vital facilities, including Kuwait International Airport, killed one person and injured others.

At least 63 people were injured in the attack on Kuwait, the Health Ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry said the latest attacks took place at dawn and also caused damage to vital facilities, including diplomatic missions.

Kuwait called the repeated attacks a clear violation of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2817.

The ministry said Kuwait reserved the right to take appropriate measures in response under international law.

Iran executed a protester from the January 2026 uprising on accusations of killing a police officer, judiciary-linked Mizan News reported on Wednesday.

Mizan identified him as Fathollah Avari and said his death sentence had been carried out.

The judiciary had accused Avari of killing a law enforcement officer during the protests.

Details about the date of his arrest and the proceedings in his case were not immediately available.

The global economy’s outlook depends heavily on the Middle East war, which has already weakened growth and could still trigger recessions and stronger inflation, said the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The Paris-based organization said price pressures and weaker demand were likely to persist and could worsen even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens.

In its latest economic outlook, the OECD raised its inflation estimates for 2027 under a scenario of limited disruption, while making only minor changes to already weak growth forecasts issued in March.

Kuwait Airways suspended operations on Wednesday after an Iranian attack on Kuwait International Airport, the airline said.

Kuwait Airways said later in the day that it resumed flights from Terminal 4 at Kuwait International Airport after assessing damage caused by the attack.