Central Bank Data: Most Loans in First Four Months of 1405 Funded Working Capital, Not New Businesses

Fresh Central Bank data published by Eco Iran on Saturday, August 22, 2026, show that in the first four months of the Iranian year 1405 (late March to late July 2026), the industry and mining sector received the largest share of bank loans at 42.5 percent, followed by services at 34 percent, a share down from the same period a year earlier.

Across industry and mining, services, trade and agriculture, most of this credit funded working capital rather than new business formation or capacity expansion, according to the data. Eco Iran said the pattern, alongside macroeconomic uncertainty, sanctions, difficulty securing foreign currency and raw materials, and heightened uncertainty from recent conflict, points to firms focused on financing day-to-day operations rather than planning for growth.