Settlement delays of about 25 days push more shops to stop accepting Iran's food-voucher card

According to Tejarat News on Sunday, 26 July 2026 (4 Mordad 1405), field surveys point to a rising number of shops that have stopped accepting Iran's electronic food-voucher card. Retailers say that after about 25 days they have still not been paid for goods sold through the scheme.

The electronic voucher, known as kalabarg, is the Iranian government's mechanism for distributing subsidies on essential goods, and households use it through their bank cards at participating stores. A lengthening settlement period ties up retailers' working capital and reduces their incentive to stay in the scheme.

The report comes alongside comments from the government spokesperson, who said on Sunday, 4 Mordad, that there is currently no plan to raise the voucher amount and that any increase would require a durable source of funding.