Iran's currency and gold markets close higher on Saturday, July 18; free-market dollar above 193,000 toman and 18-carat gold jumps more than 3 percent

Iran's free-market currency and gold markets closed higher on Saturday, July 18, 2026, as military tension and fears over the Strait of Hormuz crisis persisted. By Saturday evening the free-market dollar traded around 193,200 toman, up about 2.4 percent on the day and near its all-time record. Tether in the domestic market stood around 193,000 toman, moving in line with the free dollar.

In the gold market, each gram of 18-carat gold jumped more than 3.6 percent to around 18.9 million toman, while the Emami coin rose nearly 1.9 percent to around 188.5 million toman. The rally is attributed mainly to the weakening rial and the wartime climate, while the global gold price had settled around 4,000 dollars an ounce at the end of last week.