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Short, verified market news summaries; every item names its source and publication date.
September Food Coupon to Charge in Three Rounds, First Round Activates on September 6
According to Khabaronline, the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare's latest announcement keeps the September (Shahrivar 1405) food coupon credit at 1 million tomans per person, charged in three rounds based on the last digit of the household head's national ID number: digits 0, 1 and 2 activate on 15 Shahrivar (September 6), digits 3 through 6 on 25 Shahrivar (September 16), and digits 7 through 9 on 5 Mehr (September 27). Ministry officials stressed that a charge made on 5 Shahrivar related to the previous round and should not be confused with the new one, and that no income decile has been removed from the program. Per the report, the coupon credit cannot be withdrawn as cash and can only be used at authorized stores. The head of parliament's social affairs committee has said raising the credit from 1 million to 2 million tomans is under consideration, but until it is formally approved and announced, the September payment remains based on the current 1 million toman per household member amount.
Khabaronline
Licensed Foreign Investment in Semnan Province Tops $628 Million Over the Past Year
According to Khabaronline, citing Khabara Semnan news agency, Mohammad Reza Kazemi, head of the investment services center at Semnan province's economic affairs and finance department, said 21 companies received new investment licenses in the province over the past year and one company raised its capital by 2.2 million dollars, bringing the combined total to more than 628 million dollars. Kazemi said 19 foreign companies attracted 2.55 million dollars in the same period, registered with Iran's Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance. He said the licensed investor companies come from countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas, calling the diversity a sign of favorable investment conditions in Semnan province.
Khabar Online, citing Khabaronline, via Khabara Semnan
Central Bank Governor Reports Over 4,000 Trillion Tomans in Facilities Paid to the Economy
According to Ecoiran, Central Bank of Iran Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati told the 36th Islamic Banking Conference, held on 10 Shahrivar 1405 (September 1, 2026), that more than 4,000 trillion tomans in facilities have been disbursed to various parts of the economy since the start of the Iranian year, of which 2,650 trillion tomans went to productive sectors. The conference emphasized financing through GAM notes and factoring as ways to contain the inflationary effects of liquidity growth. In a separate analysis citing Mordad month inflation data, Ecoiran wrote that annual inflation could stand above 80 percent by the end of 1405 (March 2027), with point to point inflation around 64 percent, and that if average monthly inflation approaches 6 percent, overall goods and services inflation could reach triple digits by year end. This projection is Ecoiran's own estimate and analysis, not an official Central Bank figure.
Ecoiran
Poultry Union Head Announces What He Calls a Reasonable Egg Carton Price
According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Khabaronline, Hamidreza Kashani, chairman of Iran's Mihan Poultry Farmers Union, said on Friday, September 4, 2026 (13 Shahrivar 1405), that egg production costs currently exceed the sale price, and that a reasonable retail price would be 250,000 to 260,000 tomans per kilogram, equal to 500,000 to 520,000 tomans per 30 egg carton and 19,000 to 20,000 tomans per egg. Kashani said the farm gate price is currently about 200,000 tomans per kilogram, which is 70,000 tomans below the production cost and 30,000 tomans below the Agriculture Ministry's guidance price. He said egg production is expected to reach 115,000 tonnes in Shahrivar (roughly late August to late September), about 15,000 tonnes more than domestic demand, while egg exports have fallen 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes from a year earlier.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Khabaronline
New York Times: Iran Unlikely to Accept US Terms Before American Midterm Elections
According to ISNA, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad early on Saturday, September 5, 2026 (14 Shahrivar 1405), the New York Times reported, based on a new US intelligence assessment, that there is no evidence Iran is willing to accept US terms before America's congressional midterm elections. The assessment, citing US officials, said Iran has grown more confident in its ability to target US bases in West Asia and has strengthened its resolve to counter US military action. Ecoiran separately reported the same New York Times assessment the same day, writing that Iran appears "prepared for a long war." The reports followed recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has also said he does not know when the conflict between the United States and Iran will end.
ISNA, citing The New York Times
Amid Reports of Possible Intervention, Senior Iranian Official Warns South Korea Over Strait of Hormuz
According to Mehr News Agency, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Saturday, September 5, 2026 (14 Shahrivar 1405), a senior Iranian security and political official told the Al-Mayadeen network that Iran warns South Korea not to give in to US pressure to take part in what he called "illegal US military operations." He said Tehran would treat any South Korean participation against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz as direct military involvement in aggression against Iran. The warning came a day after South Korea's presidential office denied media reports that it had decided to send troops or take part in securing the Strait of Hormuz, saying no such decision had been made. Ecoiran also carried a similar report the same Friday, citing the same Iranian official's remarks to Al-Mayadeen.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Mehr News Agency and Al Mayadeen
Trump: We May Soon Target Iran's Kolang Gazaleh Mountain Facility
US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, September 4, 2026 (13 Shahrivar 1405), according to Khabaronline citing IRNA, that the United States may soon target a nuclear facility in Iran he called the "Kolang Gazaleh" mountain, adding that US forces had disabled radar in the area for a second time. He described the roughly six month old conflict with Iran, which he had earlier said would end within four to seven weeks, as a "military engagement" rather than a war. Trump also claimed the United States controls the Strait of Hormuz, that many ships have passed through it and that no naval mines remain there, even though Iran has held control of the strait since the war began. He said pipelines and alternative routes, including through Syria, are being built to reduce reliance on the strait, and said he had earlier told China's president not to get involved in the conflict with Iran.
Khabaronline, citing IRNA
Household Appliance Inflation Hits 117.8 Percent Year on Year in Mordad, Far Outpacing the National Average
According to Khabaronline, citing Mehr News Agency, on Friday, 13 Shahrivar 1405 (September 4, 2026), a review of the latest inflation data for the month of Mordad 1405 (roughly late July to late August 2026) shows that while the national monthly inflation rate stood at 3.4 percent, the year on year (point to point) rate at 89 percent, and the annual rate at 69.9 percent, the household appliances category clearly outpaced the national average on all three measures, with monthly inflation of 4.7 percent, year on year inflation of 117.8 percent, and annual inflation of 79.3 percent. Per the report, the 117.8 percent year on year figure means the cost of buying a comparable basket of appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, stoves and televisions has, on average, more than doubled in Mordad 1405 compared with Mordad 1404, a rate 28.8 percentage points above the national year on year figure. The continued monthly increase of nearly 5 percent also shows price pressure in this market persists and is not solely the result of past spikes.
Khabaronline, citing Mehr News Agency
US and European Troika Push New IAEA Board Resolution to Refer Iran's Nuclear File Back to UN Security Council
According to Khabaronline, citing Reuters and Fars, on Friday, 13 Shahrivar 1405 (September 4, 2026), diplomats said the United States, together with the European troika of Britain, France and Germany, is seeking to have the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors adopt a resolution at next week's meeting reporting what it calls Iran's "noncompliance with nonproliferation obligations" to the UN Security Council. Per the report, the move would follow a resolution adopted by the board on 12 June 2025 (22 Khordad 1404), one day before Israel began bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, an operation the United States later joined; that earlier resolution also cited claims of insufficient Iranian cooperation with the agency. Adoption of the new resolution could pave the way for further sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Iran.
Khabaronline, citing Reuters and Fars
Prices of Some Common Medicines Rise Two to Four Times in a Year; Amoxicillin Up From 320,000 to 1,230,000 Tomans
According to Mehr News Agency, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Friday, 13 Shahrivar 1405 (September 4, 2026), a review of drug prices between Shahrivar 1404 and Shahrivar 1405 (roughly September 2025 to September 2026) shows some widely used medicines have risen at least two to four times over, including amoxicillin, up from 320,000 to 1,230,000 tomans, gabapentin 300, up from 300,000 to 960,000 tomans, clarithromycin, up from 450,000 to 1,580,000 tomans, and acetaminophen codeine, up from 137,000 to 650,000 tomans. Hosseinali Haji Deligani, deputy chair of parliament's Article 90 Commission, pointed to a critical situation in supplying some medicines, saying insurers have failed to close the resulting price gap for patients, pushing patients' out of pocket share of drug costs to nearly 80 percent. He said delays in updating Food and Drug Administration approved prices within insurers' systems force patients to pay additional costs in the meantime.
Mehr News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency, via Donya-e-Eqtesad
Food Coupon Charge Schedule Changed, Payment Interval Extended From Five to Ten Days
According to Bourse News and Donya-e-Eqtesad, the charging schedule for Iran's food coupon program (kalabarg) has changed and will now run on the 5th, 15th and 25th of each Iranian month, extending the interval between charging rounds from five days to ten. Cash subsidy payments remain on the same five day window, from the 20th to the 30th of each month, with deciles one through three paid on the 25th and deciles four through nine on the 30th. Donya-e-Eqtesad reported two main reasons for the longer interval: first, it gives the government more room to arrange and manage credit resources for each round; second, and more importantly, it eases demand pressure on goods covered by the coupon, since each round of charging for a household group triggers a surge in purchases. Since the kalabarg program launched in Dey 1403 (December 2024-January 2025), the range of covered goods has expanded to include items such as fruit, vegetables and diapers, adding to supply logistics pressure and making the longer interval more necessary.
Bourse News
US Expands Economic Outcast Campaign, Rubio Demands Immediate Global Cutoff of Trade With Iran
According to Khabaronline and Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Axios, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered all US embassies worldwide earlier this week to deliver a formal diplomatic cable on the so called "Operation Economic Outcast" to host governments at the highest possible level. Under the order, embassies were directed to ask host governments to immediately and systematically cut trade with Iran and identify Iran's illicit trade activity, warning that countries, companies and individuals that keep trading with Iran risk sanctions and losing access to the US dollar system. A special message was also sent to US missions in Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Hong Kong, Doha, London, Berlin and several Central Asian capitals, asking them to press for the closure of Bank Melli and Bank Saderat branches said to be linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Separately, Axios reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter, that White House envoy Steve Witkoff met Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's national security adviser, in Sardinia last weekend to discuss next steps on Iran. Days before the US Treasury's sanctions were formally announced, the UAE said it was halting all trade and financial transactions with Iran, a significant move given that two way trade between the countries reached 28 billion dollars in 2024. The US Treasury simultaneously moved to cut the UAE branches of Egypt's Banque Misr off from the US financial system, and the UAE central bank has placed the bank's transactions with Iran under urgent review.
Khabaronline, citing Axios
Top Administrative Court Bans Forced Blocking of Bank Loan Funds
According to Bourse News, Iran's central bank said on Thursday, September 3, 2026 (12 Shahrivar 1405), that under a ruling by the General Assembly of the Administrative Court of Justice dated 5 Khordad 1405, banks and non bank credit institutions are banned from blocking part of the funds they lend, and from forcing a borrower to open a cash account and pledge it before a loan is disbursed. Under the ruling, a borrower may still voluntarily pledge a term deposit as collateral, under a 2001 law that exempts borrowers from having to pledge real estate, as long as the bank pays the deposit's full applicable interest rate; paying a lower rate is treated as a violation subject to central bank supervisory action. As a result, clause two of central bank circular No. 375517, dated 23 Esfand 1400, was struck down and revised.
Bourse News
Health Ministry: US Attacks Killed 18 and Wounded 142 From August 30 to September 2
Hossein Kermanpour, head of the public relations and information center at Iran's Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, said in a post on X that from 8:30pm on 8 Shahrivar to 8:30pm on 11 Shahrivar 1405 (August 30 to September 2, 2026), US attacks left 142 people wounded and 18 dead. According to ILNA, he added that of the wounded, 61 were women and 44 were under 18, while the dead included two women and one child. Khabaronline also reported the Health Ministry's tally on Thursday morning.
ILNA
Government Raises 34 Trillion Tomans at 12th Islamic Bond Auction
According to Ecoiran, the government's 12th Islamic bond auction, held this week, raised about 34 trillion tomans, more than 10 times the average financing raised under the previous sale method, the report said. Analysts cited in the report say the yield on these bonds reached 41.9 percent at this auction. Since the ninth auction, the government has run a primary and secondary market structure for its debt sales, with primary dealers including Bank Mellat, Tejarat Bank, Omid Investment Bank, Lotus Parsian Investment Bank and Afra Investment Fund; the three most recent auctions under this structure have sold at higher rates than before.
Ecoiran
Rosatom Chief: Bushehr Nuclear Plant Situation Calm, After Putin-Pezeshkian Talks
Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held detailed talks on the status of Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 (10 Shahrivar 1405). Per RT, cited by Mehr and Donya-e-Eqtesad, Likhachev said the situation at Bushehr is calm and that the nuclear fuel needed to replace part of Unit 1's fuel assemblies, ahead of planned maintenance in mid-September, has been delivered. Rosatom experts have said they are ready to take part in the maintenance work.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Mehr News Agency and راشاتودی
Russia, China Signal Possible Veto on Renewing UN Panel Monitoring Iran Sanctions
Per Reuters (Tuesday, September 1, 2026, cited by Ecoiran via Khabaronline), the UN Security Council is set to vote on September 17 (26 Shahrivar) on renewing the mandate of the panel of experts monitoring Iran sanctions, which expires September 26 (4 Mehr), even though Russia and China said in a joint statement in March that the Council no longer has authority to continue the panel's work. Jerome Bonnafont, France's UN ambassador, whose country holds the Council's rotating presidency this month, said Iran's nuclear file is central to the Council's discussions in September. Reuters reported diplomats have raised the possibility that Moscow and Beijing could veto the resolution; Russia previously vetoed the renewal of the panel monitoring North Korea sanctions in 2024 (1403).
EcoIran, citing Reuters and Khabar Online
IAEA Board of Governors' Quarterly Meeting, with Iran on Agenda, Opens Monday in Vienna
The IAEA secretariat said its Board of Governors' quarterly meeting, with representatives of 35 member states, will open at 10 a.m. local time on Monday, September 7, 2026 (16 Shahrivar 1405) in Vienna and run through Friday. Per IRNA, cited by Donya-e-Eqtesad, "implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and related provisions of Security Council resolutions" on Iran is among the meeting's agenda items. Director General Rafael Grossi will open the session and hold a press conference at midday Monday. Iran maintains that Security Council Resolution 2231 expired on its scheduled date last October (26 Mehr 1404) and that efforts to revive earlier resolutions against it lack legal basis.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing IRNA
Securities Regulator: Number of Supervised Financial Institutions Up 16% in Two Years
According to a research report by Iran's Securities and Exchange Organization (SEO), published by Boursenews, the number of financial institutions under the regulator's supervision rose 16 percent over two years of the 14th government's term, from 1,123 to 1,304. The report also found investment funds grew 20 percent (471 to 567) and listed issuers grew 7 percent (778 to 831). Total investment fund assets roughly 3.4x'd, rising from 997,000 billion rials to 3,396,000 billion rials; commodity funds (gold and silver) posted the largest gain, up 1,353 percent.
Boursenews, citing Securities and Exchange Organization and اوراق بهادار
Pezeshkian: Iran Will Immediately Reciprocate if US Honors Its Commitments
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek (Tuesday, September 1, 2026) that Iran would "immediately" reciprocate if the United States returns to its commitments under a June 2026 memorandum of understanding, brokered by Islamabad and Qatar, which had lapsed after weeks of violations. Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson and the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Qatar also called for de-escalation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz on the sidelines of the same summit. The remarks were reported by Al Jazeera, citing Iran's official news agency IRNA.
Al Jazeera
Pezeshkian: Shanghai Cooperation Organization Members Declare Aggression Against Iran Unacceptable
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the close of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, that the summit's final statement saw all member states, without exception, declare aggression against Iran unacceptable and condemn the aggressor, while stressing respect for territorial integrity and expressing sympathy for the Iranian people. He said he held direct talks on the sidelines with the presidents of six countries, including Russia, India, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan, calling discussions on both condemning the attack and economic cooperation "very constructive." He then departed for Tehran.
IRNA
Kermanshah's Three Arbaeen Border Crossings Had No Blackouts This Year After a 3,190 Billion Toman Power Investment
At a ceremony inaugurating Kermanshah power-sector projects on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 (10 Shahrivar 1405), attended by the Energy Minister, the provincial governor and members of parliament, Jafar Alfatinia, CEO of the West Regional Electricity Company, announced 2,810 billion tomans in newly commissioned regional power projects plus 380 billion tomans in distribution works. Upgrades at the Qasr-e Shirin substation, which doubled capacity from two 15 MVA to two 30 MVA transformers, along with other projects, meant the Khosravi, Mehran and Shalamcheh border crossings ran through this year's Arbaeen pilgrimage without a single minute of blackout, with no demand management needed for cooling load. He also announced a new 3 megawatt solar plant, completing the province's third renewable-energy project under Iran's SATBA program, and noted that while parts of the grid were damaged in the twelve-day war and recent clashes, some 200 kilovolt lines were restored within three hours.
Khabar Online
Technowe Unveils Risk Based Credit Scoring Model 'Taraz' at Elecomp 1405
Fintech company Technowe unveiled a new credit scoring model called Taraz ("Balance") at the Elecomp 1405 technology exhibition, according to Ecoiran, reported Tuesday, 10 Shahrivar 1405 (September 1, 2026). Unlike conventional models that assign each user a single fixed credit score, Taraz uses statistical and machine learning methods to estimate the probability of default for each individual credit request, based on the specific amount and credit limit sought. Per the report, a lack of credit history does not by itself lead to automatic rejection under the model; such users instead go through a supplementary evaluation process. The collateral required from each user is set according to their individual risk profile and is held in the user's digital wallet until the loan is repaid in full. Technowe said the model's output is only a default probability estimate and must be combined with the company's own credit policy to reach a final lending decision.
Ecoiran
Energy Minister: Without War Damage to Power Plants, the Grid Shortfall Would Have Eased Sooner; Capacity Reaches 102,000 Megawatts
Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said on Tuesday, 10 Shahrivar 1405 (September 1, 2026), according to Ecoiran, that the country's power generation capacity has reached about 102,000 megawatts and that the electricity shortfall cannot be solved by building plants alone, since how power is consumed also plays a decisive role. He said there was no significant supply problem until 20 Tir (mid July), but damage to some power plants during the recent war made managing generation capacity harder, and without that damage the country would have reached a supply demand balance sooner. According to a parliament research center report on summer 1405 cited by Ecoiran, the grid shortfall at this summer's peak demand reaches about 13,600 megawatts, with simultaneous network supply capacity at about 68,400 megawatts against demand exceeding 81,000 megawatts. Aliabadi had also pledged on Monday, 9 Shahrivar, that if public cooperation continues, the household and industrial power shortfall would ease from next week. Mahmoud Hakimi, a member of the Iran Electricity Industry Syndicate's power market and energy exchange committee, told Ecoiran by contrast that the root of the crisis cannot be attributed solely to consumer behavior, and that centrally dictated power pricing has reduced the incentive to invest in power generation.
Ecoiran
Tehran Stock Exchange Sells 52 Percent of Government Bonds on Offer
According to Boursenews, the latest government bond auction on the Tehran Stock Exchange on Monday, 9 Shahrivar 1405 (August 31, 2026), sold only 52 percent of the 65.9 trillion tomans in bonds on offer. The relatively low sell through rate signals softer market appetite for government debt amid currently high interest rates in the money market. Selling bonds through the exchange is one of the government's main tools for financing its budget deficit without expanding the monetary base, and the sell through rate at each auction can directly affect bond yields and their competitiveness against other assets such as equities and gold.
Boursenews
Civil Aviation Organization Denies Rumors of Mehrabad Airport Flight Cancellations
A spokesperson for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization denied on Monday, 9 Shahrivar 1405 (August 31, 2026), recent reports claiming that flights at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport had been cancelled and the airport closed. According to Ecoiran, the spokesperson said there is currently no problem at Mehrabad and flights are operating as scheduled. The rumor circulated at a time when escalating US Iran military tensions have raised concern about the status of the country's airspace and airports. The official denial aims to ease concern among travelers and businesses that rely on air transport.
Ecoiran
Bank Liquidity Squeeze Deepens as Interbank Rate Hits 24 Percent Ceiling at End of Mordad
According to Boursenews, the latest money market data show Iran's interbank lending rate rose to exactly 24.00 percent in the week ending 4 Shahrivar 1405 (August 26, 2026), matching the ceiling of the central bank's interest rate corridor, the standing lending facility rate. The rise followed several weeks of tight fluctuation in the 23.90 percent range. The interbank rate returning to the top of its corridor is a clear sign of intensifying liquidity pressure across Iran's banking network, typically reflecting stronger demand from banks to borrow short term from one another to cover statutory reserve shortfalls. The interbank rate is one of the central bank's key monetary policy gauges, and its trajectory can affect inflation, bond yields and capital market direction in the months ahead.
Boursenews
On Sidelines of Shanghai Summit, Pezeshkian Welcomes 'Mecca Agreement,' Says Iran Ready to Implement It
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, 9 Shahrivar 1405 (August 31, 2026). According to Ecoiran, citing the Entekhab news agency, Pezeshkian welcomed the trilateral defense pact known as the "Mecca Agreement," signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan on 16 Mordad (August 7), and stressed Iran's readiness to implement the agreement provided the other side honors its own commitments. Thanking Pakistan for its constructive role in the talks that led to the pact, Pezeshkian said lasting peace and security in the region can only be achieved through cooperation among regional states without foreign interference, describing the joint move by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye as a step toward strengthening unity among Muslim nations. Sharif, for his part, said the Mecca Agreement is defensive in nature and not directed against any country, and welcomed the increased pace of diplomatic exchanges between Tehran and Islamabad in recent months. The meeting came as US Iran military tension flared again around the Strait of Hormuz, following an exchange of strikes on Larak Island, Jordan and the UAE in recent days. Pezeshkian's welcome for a regional pact and his emphasis on readiness for diplomacy, set against the simultaneous military developments, matters for Iran's currency and gold markets, which are sensitive to signs of rising or easing regional tension.
Ecoiran, citing Entekhab
Central Bank Orders at Least 20 Percent Growth in Loan to Deposit Ratio for Underserved Provinces
Iran's Central Bank, in circular No. 05/133936 dated 4 Shahrivar 1405 (August 26, 2026), reported by Tasnim News Agency and carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Monday, 9 Shahrivar 1405 (August 31, 2026), required banks and credit institutions to pursue balanced regional and provincial financing. Under the circular, resource allocation in each province must match the deposits mobilized in that same province, following an earlier circular, No. 99/21669 dated 3 Ordibehesht 1399, which had already mandated that at least 50 percent of each province's deposit resources be allocated back to that province. Citing clause (1) of paragraph (b) of Article 10 of Iran's Seventh Five Year Development Plan law, the Central Bank also required banks to raise the loan to deposit ratio in deprived and underserved provinces by at least 20 percentage points relative to the start of the plan over its implementation years, while reviewing local branches' lending authority and accounting for the current rise in the general price level.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Tasnim
Government's 4.4 Billion Dollar Debt to Basic Goods Importers Is Straining Iran's Supply Chain
The Iranian government's debt to importers of basic goods has reached about 4.4 billion dollars, Ecoiran reported on Sunday, 8 Shahrivar 1405 (August 30, 2026), down from an initial figure of more than 5 billion dollars after partial settlements. A significant share of the debt relates to imports of livestock feed, and importers now wait 17 to 18 months for foreign currency allocation, saddling them with annual financing costs of 12 to 14 percent. According to the report, government officials say confirmed claims will be paid after an audit, but before the final figure is accepted as a definite government debt, officials must clarify how the goods were imported, distributed and supplied, and the legal basis of the government's obligation. Experts, including Mohsen Barzouzadeh, a former deputy at Iran's Court of Audit, have proposed tools such as factoring, profit sukuk issuance, currency swaps and oil backed transfers to settle the debt without expanding the monetary base.
Ecoiran
Economist Fayyazi: Point to Point Inflation Could Reach 110 to 120 Percent by End of Iranian Year
Macroeconomic analyst Mohammad Taghi Fayyazi told Khabaronline, in remarks published Sunday, 8 Shahrivar 1405 (August 30, 2026), that after tracing monthly inflation from 4.2 percent in Azar 1404 to 3.4 percent in Mordad 1405, if current conditions persist, even in the best case monthly inflation could stay in the 7 to 8 percent range and point to point inflation could reach 110 to 120 percent by the end of Esfand 1405 (March 2027), an estimate he called optimistic. He said point to point inflation, which stood at 83.9 percent in Ordibehesht 1405, has now reached about 89 percent, consistent with the Statistical Center of Iran's official figure for Mordad. Fayyazi said that in a more optimistic scenario, if the war ends and monthly inflation holds around 3 percent, point to point inflation by Esfand could be about 60 percent and annual inflation about 80 percent. He identified the government's budget deficit as the main driver of persistent inflation and warned that triple digit inflation in food prices and rural areas is fueling a broader expansion of poverty.
Khabaronline
More Than 112 Trillion Tomans in VAT Levies Distributed to Municipalities Over Four Months
Seyyed Mohammad Hadi Sobhanian, head of Iran's National Tax Administration, said in remarks published by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Sunday, 8 Shahrivar 1405 (August 30, 2026), that more than 112,000 billion tomans in value-added tax levies were distributed to municipalities, rural district administrations, and nomadic affairs offices nationwide in the first four months of the Iranian year 1405. The figure represents part of municipalities' and rural districts' share of the country's VAT revenue, which the tax administration calculates and transfers to local authorities monthly. Sobhanian released the figure alongside his separate announcement that the country collected nearly 800,000 billion tomans in total tax revenue in the first five months of the year.
Donya-e-Eqtesad
Tax Authority Reports 800 Trillion Tomans Collected in First Five Months of 1405
Seyyed Mohammad Hadi Sobhanian, head of Iran's National Tax Administration, said to mark Government Week that 799,700 billion tomans in tax revenue was collected in the first five months of the Iranian year 1405, up 56.2 percent from the same period in 1404. According to Donya-e-Eqtesad's online desk, published Sunday, 8 Shahrivar 1405 (August 30, 2026), the increase came even as deadlines for corporate and individual tax filings were extended through the end of Shahrivar (late September). Sobhanian said the administration has tried to work with businesses by extending statutory deadlines, giving provincial managers more authority, and speeding up tax refunds, adding that the higher revenue did not come from added pressure on taxpayers. He said recent investments in digitalization and data-driven systems have made tax collection possible without relying on costly traditional methods.
Donya-e-Eqtesad
Iran's Point to Point Inflation Hits 89 Percent in Mordad, a Fresh Record in Statistical Center Data
Iran's Statistical Center reported in its Mordad 1405 consumer price index release (the month ended 31 Mordad, or August 22, 2026) that monthly, point to point and annual inflation all rose from Tir, the previous month. Monthly inflation climbed from 3.1 percent in Tir to 3.4 percent in Mordad. Point to point inflation (against Mordad of last year) rose 1.1 percentage points to 89 percent, and annual inflation (the 12 month average through Mordad) rose from 66 to 69.9 percent. The central bank's own separate urban data showed monthly inflation rising from 3.6 to 3.7 percent, point to point inflation from 83.9 to 84.4 percent, and annual inflation from 61.4 to 65.1 percent. According to Ecoiran, this Mordad's point to point and annual inflation figures are the highest recorded in the Statistical Center's series dating back to 1392 (2013). Among components, the communications group posted the highest monthly non food inflation at 6.7 percent, while vegetables led food inflation at 9.3 percent; education recorded the lowest monthly inflation at 1.4 percent. Mazandaran province posted the highest provincial monthly inflation rate for Mordad.
EcoIran, citing Statistical Centre of Iran and Central Bank of Iran
Revised 1404 Tax Revenue Reaches 1,704.5 Trillion Tomans, 93.6 Percent of Budget Target
According to Boursenews, published Saturday, 7 Shahrivar 1405 (August 29, 2026), Iran's Tax Affairs Organization, in a revised report on 1404 fiscal year performance (ending 29 Esfand 1404, March 20, 2026), put total collections from direct taxes and taxes on goods and services at 1,704,456 billion tomans (1,704.5 trillion tomans), up from an earlier preliminary figure of about 1,700 trillion tomans. Against the 1,820 trillion toman target set in the 1404 budget law, that is a 93.6 percent realization of budgeted tax revenue. Per the revised breakdown, 1,114.7 trillion tomans came from direct taxes and 589.8 trillion tomans from taxes on goods and services. Within direct taxes, corporate income tax was the largest component at about 797.3 trillion tomans, followed by personal income tax at 272.4 trillion tomans. Within goods and services taxes, value added tax was the largest component at about 300.3 trillion tomans.
Boursenews, citing Iran's Tax Affairs Organization
Iran's Foreign Ministry: All States Are Obligated to Refrain From Enforcing US Unilateral Sanctions
Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday, 6 Shahrivar 1405 (August 28, 2026), that the latest round of US sanctions, named Operation Economic Outcast and unveiled by the US government on Monday, 2 Shahrivar, amounts to state economic terrorism and violates the United Nations Charter. According to ISNA, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad, the ministry said Washington's use of the dollar's leverage to pressure other countries into following its policies violates the national sovereignty and right to self determination of UN member states. The statement said that under principles of international law, including UN General Assembly resolutions on non interference in states' internal affairs, all governments are obligated to refrain from enforcing such sanctions and from recognizing situations arising from them. The Foreign Ministry also stressed the Iranian nation's resolve to use every available capacity to defend the country against what it described as a combined US, Israeli military, economic and hybrid assault.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing ISNA
Khorasan Razavi's Renewable Power Capacity Tripled in the Iranian Year 1404
Alireza Khodabandeh, CEO of Khorasan Razavi's power distribution company, said at a meeting of the province's renewable power development task force on the morning of Saturday, 7 Shahrivar 1405 (August 29, 2026), that the province's renewable power capacity grew 300 percent compared with the start of the Iranian year 1404 (which began in March 2025). According to Khabaronline, he said the province aims, under its 1406 (2027/28) horizon target, to build a total of 3,000 megawatts of renewable capacity across five sectors, industrial, administrative, agricultural, residential and investment, and that its targets for 1404 have been met. Khodabandeh said Khorasan Razavi leads the country in the agricultural sector with 65 megawatts of solar capacity, while the next ranked province has only about 4 megawatts in that category. He said the province needs to add another 600 megawatts of renewable capacity in 1405 (2026/27) to stay on track for the 3,000 megawatt target by 1406.
Khabar Online
US Treasury Moves to Cut Banque Misr's UAE Branch From the Dollar System
The US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed a rule on August 28, 2026 to revoke Banque Misr's UAE branch access to US correspondent banking. FinCEN alleges the branch facilitated roughly 1.8 billion dollars in transactions tied to Iranian shadow banking networks, involving 103 companies between January 2024 and June 2026. The move is part of "Operation Economic Outcast," the sanctions campaign Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched on August 24, 2026. The same day, the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control also sanctioned Reza Mohammad Taeedi, described as a manager at Bank Melli's Dubai branch, and a Hong Kong based entity. FinCEN's proposed rule is not yet final and remains subject to a public comment period.
Crypto Briefing
Electronic Check Issuance in Iran Grew 262 Percent
Central bank data show that 2,285,586 electronic checks were issued by Iran's banking network in the first four months of the current Iranian year (started March 2026), a 262 percent increase from 631,497 in the same period last year. The share of electronic checks in total checks issued rose from an average of 1.2 percent last year to 4.6 percent this year. Since electronic checks were introduced in Aban 1401 (October 2022) through the end of Tir 1405 (July 2026), more than 8.4 million electronic checks and 3.5 million electronic checkbooks have been issued. Under Iran's seventh five year development plan, the central bank is required to fully replace paper checks with electronic ones by the end of 1406 (March 2028).
Bourse News
Cooking Oil Prices in Iran Jumped 340 Percent Year on Year in Mordad
Official data from Iran's Statistical Center show the average price of liquid cooking oil rose about 340 percent year on year in Mordad 1405 (ended August 22, 2026), while solid cooking oil rose about 380 percent. Imported rice jumped about 201 percent over the same period and domestic Iranian rice rose about 80 percent, though Iranian rice prices eased slightly compared to the prior month of Tir. Egg prices rose 293 percent and chicken prices rose 176 percent year on year. The data show Mordad's inflationary pressure was concentrated mainly on staple household food items.
Bourse News
Iran's Point to Point Inflation for Mordad Reported Between 84.4 and 89 Percent
Iran's Statistical Center has reported Mordad 1405 (July 23 to August 22, 2026) monthly inflation at 3.4 percent and point to point inflation at 89 percent. The Central Bank of Iran, estimating the same month separately, put monthly inflation at 3.7 percent and point to point inflation at 84.4 percent. Despite the modest gap between the two official bodies' figures, both reports point to persistently high inflation and a fragile disinflation trend in Iran's economy.
Donya-e-Eqtesad
Pezeshkian: Oman Accepts Hormuz Reopening Roadmap Under Islamabad Memorandum
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on the evening of Friday, August 28, 2026 (6 Shahrivar 1405), during state broadcaster IRIB's live interview program, that Oman has accepted that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz proceed under a roadmap drawn up within the framework of the Islamabad memorandum, coordinated with the Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and Iran's negotiating team, and approved by the Supreme Leader. He said Oman initially cooperated, then raised reservations, but in a meeting two days before the interview agreed again to proceed on the coordinated route. The president said Iran, in return for this step, is seeking implementation of US commitments including lifting the blockade and sanctions, releasing Iran's frozen oil and petrochemical revenues, resuming foreign investment, and halting military actions in Lebanon, and stressed that Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz based on its own official decisions.
Khabar Online
Strait of Hormuz Placed Alongside a List of US Territories in Trump's New Post
According to Mehr News, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Friday, 6 Shahrivar 1405 (August 28, 2026), US President Donald Trump posted a new image on Truth Social that places the Strait of Hormuz alongside a set of US territories and related areas, including Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, Wake Island, Washington DC, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. The post came days after Trump repeatedly claimed the Strait of Hormuz should be part of US territory. The report noted that Trump is approaching the US congressional midterm elections and has previously made similar territorial claims regarding Greenland, Canada, Venezuela and other countries.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Mehr News Agency
Araghchi Says US Pressure Will Not Work, in a Post After Meeting Qatar's Prime Minister
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X on Friday, 6 Shahrivar 1405 (August 28, 2026) after meeting Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said he had held "constructive and innovative" talks with him in Tehran. Araghchi added that returning diplomacy to its course is not impossible, and that this depends on the United States understanding one simple fact: that pressure does not work. He said Washington must build trust, speak with respect, acknowledge Iran's rights and honor its commitments. The remarks come as the US-Israeli war on Iran approaches its six month mark, and after US President Donald Trump had earlier said he was in no hurry for Iran to return to negotiations.
EcoIran
CENTCOM Commander Claims Full Minesweeping of the Strait of Hormuz; Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Rejects the Claim
According to ISNA, carried by Ecoiran on Friday, 6 Shahrivar 1405 (August 28, 2026), CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper claimed the United States has fully cleared mines from the Strait of Hormuz. He said about 50,000 US personnel are enforcing a naval blockade against Iran and maintaining maritime traffic through the strait, and that with US assistance vessels have moved a total of about 750 million barrels of oil out of the Persian Gulf in recent months. Responding to the claims, Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy foreign minister of Iran for legal and international affairs, had earlier said on a television program, while stressing that the Iran-Oman understanding does not mean reopening the Strait of Hormuz, that no one but Iran knows the location of the mines in the strait and that such claims are nothing more than assertions.
EcoIran, citing ISNA
Central Bank of Iran Gives Marriage and Childbearing Loan Priority to Welfare Card Holders Linked to GAM Bonds
Iran's central bank announced that applicants for interest free marriage and childbearing loans who obtain a welfare card linked to GAM bonds will get priority in loan disbursement. According to a Young Journalists Club report that Ecoiran carried on Thursday, 5 Shahrivar 1405 (August 27, 2026), banks are now required to issue the welfare card as quickly as possible once an applicant requests it through the system, so applicants do not have to wait in the loan queue. Under the announcement, the general terms of the interest free loan do not change, but applicants who choose this path can use the welfare card to buy goods and household items instead of receiving cash.
EcoIran, citing YJC
Trump Tells Al Jazeera He Is "Not in a Hurry" for Iran to Return to Talks as War Marks Six Months
US President Donald Trump told Al Jazeera's Tanya Noury, in an interview broadcast Wednesday, August 26, 2026 (4 Shahrivar 1405), that he has no timetable for Iran's return to negotiations. Asked how much time he was giving Iran, he said: "I have no time schedule, none. I'm not in a hurry. I have no time schedule at all." He added that the United States is "winning very big" and that Iran faces heavy inflation and an economic crisis. This Friday, August 28, 2026 (6 Shahrivar 1405), marks six months since the US Israel war on Iran began with strikes on Tehran on February 28, 2026 (9 Esfand 1404). The remarks mark a shift from Trump's earlier promises that the conflict would end within "four to six weeks." A 60 day memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, signed in June 2026 to manage transit through the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief and nuclear talks, expired earlier in August. On Monday, August 24, 2026 (2 Shahrivar 1405), the US announced new sanctions on Iran and 60 entities across various countries doing business with Iran, which officials dubbed an "economic D Day." Iran's Foreign Ministry described the sanctions as a threat to international law and the UN Charter.
Al Jazeera
Inflation Gap Between Iran's Income Deciles Widens to 10.7 Points in Mordad as Point to Point Rate Hits 89 Percent
Iran's Statistical Center said the household consumer price index reached 700.1 in Mordad 1405, the month ending August 22, 2026. Monthly inflation came in at 3.4 percent, point to point inflation (compared with Mordad 1404) at 89 percent, and the annual rate, the twelve months ending in Mordad against the same period a year earlier, at 69.9 percent. The inflation gap between household expenditure deciles widened to 10.7 percentage points in Mordad, up from 9.6 points the month before. The lowest annual inflation, 67.6 percent, was recorded for the tenth, highest income, decile, and the highest, 78.3 percent, for the second, lower income, decile. Monthly inflation for food, beverages and tobacco was 3.6 percent, and for non food goods and services 3.3 percent. The figures, published separately by Iran's Statistical Center from the Central Bank's own gauge, come after the Central Bank reported urban monthly inflation of 3.7 percent for Mordad earlier this week, underscoring the continuing gap between the country's two official statistics bodies.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Statistical Centre of Iran
Central Bank Deputy: Monthly Inflation Eased to 3.7 Percent in Mordad
Vahid Majed, deputy for monetary policy at Iran's Central Bank, said in a televised program reported by Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Mehr News Agency, on Thursday, Shahrivar 5, 1405 (August 27, 2026), that monthly inflation for Mordad 1405 (the month ending August 22) came in at 3.7 percent, continuing a slowdown in the pace of inflation that began three months earlier. He said monthly inflation had peaked at 8.5 percent in Ordibehesht (April to May), a trend he attributed to the economic conditions of the 12 day imposed war in Tir 1404 (July 2025) and subsequent developments including the economic blockade. Majed added that the central bank began monetary and prudential policies to curb the pace of inflation from early Khordad 1405 (late May 2026), and stressed continuity of those policies alongside targeted financing for affected sectors.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Mehr News Agency
Central Bank Mandates Instant Payment of Guaranteed Checks From Mehr 7, 1405
Iran's Central Bank, in circular No. 130283/05 dated Shahrivar 1, 1405, issued by its Payment Systems and New Technologies deputy to the banking network, has required banks to pay guaranteed checks instantly starting Mehr 7, 1405 (September 29, 2026). According to Ecoiran, citing IRNA, published Thursday, Shahrivar 5, guaranteed checks, which function like coded checks with no bounced status, must be paid immediately from that date, and banks will no longer be allowed to condition payment on completing interbank settlement in the beneficiary's account. The central bank said the deadline was set to give the banking network sufficient time to make the necessary technical changes, and that no further extension will be granted.
Ecoiran, citing IRNA
Pezeshkian Appoints Khodadad Gharibpour to Head Iran's National Development Fund
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a decree issued Tuesday, 3 Shahrivar 1405 (August 25, 2026), appointed Khodadad Gharibpour as a member and head of the National Development Fund of Iran's board of directors for a five year term. Gharibpour succeeds Mehdi Ghazanfari, who had led the fund since Mehr 1400 (2021) and whose five year term had ended. According to Tasnim News Agency, Gharibpour previously headed the pension fund for bank employees, served as a deputy minister of Industry, Mine and Trade, led the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), and was CEO of the National Development Investment Group. He also served as governor of Boyer Ahmad county from 1376 to 1384 (1997 to 2005) and as CEO of Shazand Petrochemical in Arak from 1393 to 1395 (2014 to 2016). The National Development Fund was established in 1389 (2010) to convert part of Iran's oil, gas, gas condensate and petroleum product revenues into lasting wealth and to preserve future generations' share of those resources.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Donya-e-Eqtesad via Tasnim
3 Megawatt Kashmar Solar Plant to Come Online Under Lavan Oil and Gas Energy Group
According to Boursenews, published Wednesday, Shahrivar 4, 1405 (August 26, 2026), a 3 megawatt solar power plant in Kashmar county is coming online, built by the Lavan Oil and Gas Energy Development Group, a subsidiary of the Gardeshgari Financial Group. The report said the project is part of Gardeshgari Financial Group's plan to build about 3,000 megawatts of solar capacity and diversify the country's energy mix. Boursenews described the plant as an example of expanding clean power generation and strengthening private sector investment in Kashmar's electricity industry.
Boursenews
Labour Ministry: Food Ration Cards for National ID Endings 7, 8 and 9 Charge Thursday
According to Mehr News Agency, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Wednesday, Shahrivar 4, 1405 (August 26, 2026), under the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare's latest schedule, income based food ration cards (کالابرگ) for households whose head's national ID ends in 7, 8 or 9 will be charged with 1 million tomans per person on Thursday, Shahrivar 5, 1405 (August 27, 2026). Under the new schedule, the interval between charging dates for each household group has widened from five days before Mordad to ten days: households with national ID endings of 0, 1 and 2, along with households covered by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, the Welfare Organization and the armed forces, are charged on the 15th of each month; ID endings 3 through 6 on the 25th; and ID endings 7 through 9 on the 5th of the following month. Each charge must be used within one month.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Mehr News Agency
Tehran Fuel Distribution Chief: Gas Station Closures Stemmed from a Sudden Demand Surge
Fereydoun Yasami, head of the Tehran region for Iran's National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company, said on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 (3 Shahrivar 1405), explaining several hours of closures at some Tehran gas stations, that a sudden surge in demand combined with road traffic that delayed shipments had run some stations out of fuel. According to Tasnim, as carried by Donya e Eqtesad, he attributed the demand jump to media rumors and the approach of the Rabi al Awwal 17 holiday. Yasami said more than 26 million liters of gasoline were distributed in Tehran in a single day, a 2026 distribution record for the capital and about 30 percent above normal levels. He said that despite constraints from war related damage to Tehran's fuel storage and distribution infrastructure, supply routes activated from other provinces have kept fuel supply stable, and the current constraints will be fully resolved within a few days.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Tasnim
Isoiko Completes Major Overhaul of Tugboat 'Oqianus 10' Using Domestic Capability
Iran's shipbuilding and offshore industries complex, Isoiko, said on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 (3 Shahrivar 1405), that it had successfully relaunched the tugboat "Oqianus 10" following a major overhaul. According to Donya e Eqtesad, the project was carried out using the complex's own technical and engineering capability. Isoiko is one of Iran's shipbuilding and offshore industry complexes, and has in recent years focused on repair and refurbishment projects for commercial and industrial vessels. Domestic capacity to overhaul vessels such as tugboats used by the country's shipping fleet and ports matters particularly amid limited access to foreign services and parts.
Donya-e-Eqtesad
China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: Beijing-Tehran Trade Ties Comply with International Law
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 (3 Shahrivar 1405), responding to US threats to sanction countries with economic ties to Iran, that trade relations between Beijing and Tehran comply with international law. According to Donya e Eqtesad, citing IRNA and Al Arabiya, the remarks followed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's statement last week that Washington would impose the "toughest sanctions in history" on Iran and his call for China to cooperate. The Chinese spokesperson added that Beijing is closely following related developments and will take necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests. He had also warned on Monday (2 Shahrivar) that sanctions and pressure do not help resolve issues and only escalate tensions. On Monday the US Treasury sanctioned nearly 60 entities and vessels under its "Operation Economic Outcast" campaign, but stopped short of targeting the major Chinese banks that buy most of Iran's seaborne oil.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing IRNA and العربیه
Pakistan's Army Chief Leaves Tehran After Meeting Qalibaf and Pezeshkian
Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi left Tehran on Monday night, Shahrivar 2, 1405 (August 24, 2026), after a one day visit, seen off by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni. According to Ecoiran, citing ISNA, the Pakistani delegation had earlier met the same day with Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament, and President Masoud Pezeshkian. It was Munir's fourth visit to Iran since the Farvardin 19 ceasefire between Iran and the United States. Momeni, after seeing off the delegation, described the meetings as held in a friendly and constructive atmosphere, saying both sides emphasized strengthening bilateral ties and continued consultations. The report said the talks covered bilateral cooperation and support for regional peace, stability and security amid renewed Iran-US tensions.
Ecoiran
Central Bank Accepts Just 16.6 Percent of Banks' 419.9 Trillion Toman Open Market Demand
According to Ecoiran, published Monday, Shahrivar 2, 1405 (August 24, 2026), Iran's central bank accepted only 70 trillion tomans of banks' combined 419.96 trillion toman demand in the open market operation for the week ending Shahrivar 2, equal to 16.6 percent of total demand. The report said the acceptance rate was up slightly from two weeks earlier, when the central bank approved 60 trillion tomans of demand, but remained low overall. Ecoiran described the approach as a sign of the central bank's intent to contain liquidity growth amid the country's inflationary conditions. The report said the value of agreements maturing in the same window was about 60.26 trillion tomans, and the yield to maturity on part of the unmet demand that shifted to the overnight market rose to 24 percent, compared with 23 percent in the open market operation itself.
Ecoiran
Central Bank Governor: Iran's Monthly Inflation Eased to About 4 Percent in Mordad
Abdolnasser Hemmati, Governor of Iran's central bank, told a meeting with members of the Iran Entrepreneurs Association on Sunday, Shahrivar 1, 1405 (August 23, 2026), that monthly inflation in Mordad (the month ending August 22) was about 4 percent, while liquidity growth stood at 55 to 56 percent. According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, published Sunday night, that reading puts year on year inflation for Mordad at 84.9 percent, up 0.9 percentage points from the prior 84 percent level, though it marks a slowdown in the pace of price growth compared with previous months. The report said monthly inflation ran at 7 to 8.5 percent during the spring months of the Iranian year before easing to 3.6 percent in Tir (the month ending July 22) as tensions eased. Hemmati also said the country's foreign exchange reserves have strengthened since Bahman of last year (roughly February 2026), adding that the central bank has supplied an average of $175 million a day in foreign currency since the start of the Iranian year, versus about $205 million a day in the same period last year.
Donya-e-Eqtesad
US Treasury Launches 'Operation Economic Outcast', Sanctions Nearly 60 Entities and Vessels While Sparing Major Chinese Banks
The US Treasury Department detailed its 'economic D-Day' campaign on Monday, Shahrivar 2, 1405 (August 24, 2026), with Secretary Scott Bessent formally launching what officials called 'Operation Economic Outcast' against Iran. According to Oilprice.com, the first round targeted nearly 60 individuals, entities and vessels across Iran's digital asset, technology, gold, aviation and shipping sectors, adding to existing sanctions on Iran's financial, petroleum and petrochemical industries. The report said the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated brokers and 'shadow fleet' vessels operating in the UAE, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Switzerland and Europe that Treasury said channel Iranian oil revenue to the IRGC Quds Force. Washington stopped short, however, of sanctioning the larger Chinese banks that facilitate purchases of Iranian crude, of which China buys more than 80 percent of Iran's seaborne exports. Citing Reuters data, the same report said China's Iranian crude imports fell to roughly 534,000 barrels per day in August, down from 823,000 barrels per day in July.
Oilprice.com
IRGC Statement Marking Government Week Pledges Strategic Cooperation Against the 'Economic War'
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement on Monday, August 24, 2026 (2 Shahrivar 1405) marking "Government Week," in which, according to Ecoiran, it announced full readiness for strategic cooperation with the government and described synergy between the two institutions as the country's way through "multilayered sanctions" and a means of strengthening national resilience. Per the statement's text, it called the efforts of all government sectors, from economy and trade to oil, industry, agriculture, banking and diplomacy, in countering sanctions, managing markets, securing essential goods, controlling inflation and creating jobs an "irreplaceable and decisive role." The IRGC also announced its readiness to cooperate in areas including economic security, logistical support, infrastructure development, addressing regional deprivation, and combating smuggling and corruption.
Ecoiran
Supreme Labor Council to Form Wage Committee to Review Worker Pay
According to ISNA, in a report relayed by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Monday, August 24, 2026 (2 Shahrivar 1405), Fatemeh Mohammadian, head of Iran's High Council of Workers' Guild Associations, said a "wage committee" will be formed under the Supreme Labor Council. She said that at the Supreme Labor Council's session on Sunday, 1 Shahrivar 1405 (August 23, 2026), a proposal from workers' representatives to revisit wage adjustment was approved, despite opposition from employer representatives, after the deputy for labor relations backed forming the committee; it is due to be established by the end of Shahrivar (late September) and will examine various pay-increase scenarios. Mohammadian, referring to a proposed cost-of-living basket figure of nearly 100 million tomans, said the issue must be discussed in the wage committee and factored into wage decisions, stressing that a purely numerical pay raise, without simultaneously containing inflation, would not meaningfully improve workers' living standards.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing ISNA
Iran's Judiciary Chief: Consensus Exists on Need to Reform Gasoline Pricing, but Not on Timing or Method
According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, Iran's Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i said on Monday, August 24, 2026 (2 Shahrivar 1405), addressing ongoing discussions about reforming energy carrier pricing, that the state of production, pricing and consumption of energy carriers, specifically gasoline, is unsatisfactory and needs reform. He said there is near-consensus among experts and officials involved on the need for reform, but disagreement remains over when and how it should be carried out.
Donya-e-Eqtesad
Iran's Deputy FM Rebuts Bessent's 'Greatest Financial Assault in History' Claim
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister, responded on X on Monday, August 24, 2026 (2 Shahrivar 1405) to comments by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, writing: "Mr. Bessent! Your narrative doesn't add up: you say Iran's military capability has been dismantled, nearly 100 percent of its military factories destroyed, and its nuclear program buried, yet you needed the 'greatest financial assault in history' and the mobilization of every US institution and authority against this same Iran. Is that a victory, or an admission of American failure?" Earlier the same day, Bessent had claimed the Trump administration had entered the "final phase" of its campaign against Iran, announcing what he called an "Economic D-Day," and described the move as the largest financial assault ever organized against a country, aimed at cutting off Iran's economic lifelines using every US institution and authority.
Khabar Online
Railway CEO: Iran-Afghanistan Rail Transit Reaches 130,000 Tons a Month
Jabbar Ali Zakeri, CEO of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, said six rail network bridges destroyed during recent wars were rebuilt and returned to service within 12 to 24 hours, and at most five days, restoring domestic and international rail links to their pre war state, according to a Mehr News Agency report published Sunday, Shahrivar 1, 1405 (August 23, 2026). Zakeri said rail freight with Afghanistan, previously under 15,000 tons a year, has now reached about 130,000 tons a month, with a forecast of reaching about 1.5 million tons within a year. He also said passenger rail service between Tehran and Van, halted for about five years, has resumed, and rail links with Central Asia and Turkey have become more active.
Mehr News Agency
Wage Review Committee for Workers to Convene in Shahrivar
Iran's Supreme Labor Council, with representatives of the government, workers and employers, decided at the end of a meeting on the evening of Sunday, Shahrivar 1, 1405 (August 23, 2026), that a wage committee would convene later this month to review workers' pay for the second half of the year and the possibility of an adjustment given rising inflation. According to Eghtesadonline, citing ISNA, Asad Salehi, the workers' representative on the council, said labor representatives raised and pursued the wage review issue under an "other matters" item on the meeting's agenda. The same session also reviewed articles 97 and 99 of labor court procedure and article 190 of the labor law.
Eghtesadonline, citing ISNA
600,000 Jobs Spared Layoffs Through 20 Trillion Toman War Facility
Morteza Zamanian, deputy for economic policy at Iran's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, said in remarks published Sunday, Shahrivar 1, 1405 (August 23, 2026), that about 20 trillion tomans in facilities have been introduced to banks for enterprises damaged by the war, of which more than 7 trillion tomans has been disbursed so far. According to Eghtesadonline, he added that more than 600,000 workers at risk of layoffs because of the war have been covered through support for the enterprises employing them. Zamanian said part of the facility has been approved and is awaiting disbursement, while another part requires applicants to complete documentation.
Eghtesadonline
Only 53 Percent of Government Bonds Offered at This Year's 11th Auction Found Buyers
According to Ecoiran, at this year's 11th government bond auction the state offered 84,100 billion tomans in bonds but sold only 44,600 billion tomans, about 53 percent. The report said total bond sales since the start of the year have covered only 22 percent of the budget ceiling set for this financing channel. It attributed the shortfall to a widening gap between the government's financing needs to cover its budget deficit and buyers' willingness to purchase the bonds.
Ecoiran
Aref Cites 23 Fold Gap in Gasoline Subsidy Between Income Deciles as Government Denies 80,000 Toman Figure
According to Ecoiran, citing Donya-e-Eqtesad and published Sunday, Shahrivar 1, 1405 (August 23, 2026), First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said in remarks on gasoline subsidies that Iran's top income decile benefits from 23 times more gasoline subsidy than the bottom decile, and that past governments had backed away from fixing this imbalance to avoid political "trouble." Aref, pointing to the multi billion dollar cost of subsidized gasoline, stressed the need for "groundwork and cooperation" to reform the policy and described gasoline as part of the "national wealth belonging to future generations." He said Iran's normal gasoline output is about 110 million liters a day, reaching up to 125 million liters under some conditions, while consumption during the recent 12 day war exceeded 150 million liters a day. Responding to rumors of an 80,000 toman gasoline price, government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said the figure is inaccurate and that no new price or pricing model has been approved so far. Mohajerani said that if any decision is finalized, the government must communicate it transparently and directly to the public. Aref's remarks did not name a specific figure, and observers see them as a sign the government is preparing public opinion for a possible reform of fuel policy, potentially through rationing or a multi tier pricing system.
Ecoiran, citing Donya-e-Eqtesad
Rosatom: Number of Russian Specialists Back at Bushehr Plant Reaches 42
Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Russia's state owned Rosatom, said the number of Russian specialists who have returned to Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant has now reached 42, according to Russia's Interfax news agency, as reported by Ecoiran on Sunday, Shahrivar 1, 1405 (August 23, 2026). The figure marks a notable rise from the 25 specialists Rosatom had reported on August 9 and 10. Likhachev said that if current conditions hold, the number of Russian staff at the plant will reach about 100 by this autumn, describing the situation at Bushehr as "calm and stable." Rosatom began withdrawing its staff from Bushehr after US and Israeli military strikes on Iran in late February; Bloomberg reported in April that the number of Russian personnel at the plant had fallen to a minimum operational level of about 20. Bushehr is Iran's only operating reactor, and construction of its Units 2 and 3, which would nearly double the country's nuclear generation capacity, was halted last March after strikes near the complex.
Ecoiran, citing Interfax
Iran's Agricultural Producer Inflation Hits a Record 126.1 Percent in Spring 1405
According to Ecoiran, published Sunday, Shahrivar 1, 1405 (August 23, 2026), an analysis of the producer price index for farming, horticulture and traditional animal husbandry shows year on year inflation for the index reached 126.1 percent in spring 1405 (the quarter ended June 21, 2026), the highest reading recorded for this index since the start of the 1390s decade (early 2010s). The figure marks a jump of more than 52 percentage points from winter 1404's year on year rate of 74.1 percent. Among subcategories, grains posted the sharpest year on year increase at 183.9 percent, followed by traditional cattle raising at 143.7 percent, other animal products at 125.8 percent, and traditional animal husbandry at 120.4 percent. Horticulture recorded the smallest rise among the subsectors at 102.7 percent, while farming and horticulture combined posted 129.8 percent and farming alone 129.5 percent. Ecoiran described the jump as a warning sign for future food price pressure and household budgets, since producer price inflation typically moves ahead of consumer inflation.
Ecoiran
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.
Eco Iran
Iran's Audit Court: Central Bank's 77 Trillion Toman Profit in FY 1404 Reflects Imbalances, Not Real Earnings
Iran's Supreme Audit Court said on Saturday, August 22, 2026, that its review of the Central Bank's fiscal year 1404 (ended March 2026) financial statements ranks the bank among the most profitable state-owned entities. According to the Court, most of the 77 trillion toman profit came from the rial's sharp depreciation, revaluation gains on foreign-currency assets, gold sales, and income the Central Bank earned from repo operations that supply liquidity to commercial banks against bonds, and does not reflect genuine profitability but rather the country's monetary and fiscal imbalances. Mohsen Barzoozadeh, the Audit Court's former deputy for technical and economic affairs, said the law behind Iran's seventh development plan requires such foreign-currency gains and losses to be booked as reserves rather than distributable profit. He added that the Central Bank has not settled foreign-currency oil revenue with the government since 1398 (2019/2020).
Eco Iran
Employer Social Security Payment Deadline for Tir Extended to End of Sunday, Shahrivar 1
Iran's Social Security Organization announced on Saturday, August 22, 2026 (31 Mordad 1405) that the deadline for employers to submit payroll lists and pay Tir 1405 (roughly June/July 2026) insurance premiums, along with premiums for special groups such as drivers, has been extended, without late penalties, to midnight on Sunday, Shahrivar 1 (August 23, 2026). According to ISNA, cited by Donya-e-Eqtesad, the organization's public relations office apologized for disruptions in its non in person services system and said the extension was granted to assist employers and insured parties who had not yet been able to fulfill their obligations. It added that branches and agencies nationwide would remain open to accept lists and premium payments until 7pm on Sunday.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing ISNA
Melted Gold's 172 Percent Return Tops Iran's Markets for the Year, Tehran Stocks' 62 Percent Leads Since the Start of 1405
According to EcoIran, published Saturday, August 22, 2026 (31 Mordad 1405), a review of returns across Iran's investment markets shows melted gold delivered the highest one year return at 172 percent, followed by the stock market at 145 percent and the Emami gold coin at 141 percent; the half coin rose 137 percent, the quarter coin 112 percent, and 18 karat gold about 105 percent. In the currency market over the same period, the havaleh (transfer) dollar rose 124 percent, the free market dollar 103 percent, tether 100 percent, and the dirham 99 percent. Since the start of the Iranian year 1405, the picture differs: the Tehran Stock Exchange leads with a 62 percent return, well ahead of other assets, while the havaleh dollar is up 23 percent, the UAE dirham 22 percent, tether 21 percent, and melted gold 20 percent. The Emami coin has returned 13 percent since the start of the year, while global spot gold and the quarter coin, both down about 2 percent, were the only underperforming assets in the comparison. EcoIran reported that in the final week of Mordad, melted gold's 12.4 percent gain and the stock index's 5.7 percent gain were the strongest weekly returns.
EcoIran
Government Nears Decision to Raise Food-Coupon Credit by Up to 23 Percent From Shahrivar
According to Ecoiran on August 22, 2026, Iran's government is nearing a final decision to raise food-coupon (kalabarg) credit by up to 23 percent, with the increase possibly taking effect from the start of Shahrivar (late August). The report said the decision has not yet been finalized, and amid inflation and rising prices for basic goods, questions remain about how much real impact the increase would have on household budgets.
EcoIran
Aref: Government Will Not Let US Economic Pressure Target Stability and Livelihoods
First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said on Saturday, August 22, 2026, in response to intensifying US economic pressure on Iran, that the government will not allow this pressure to target the country's economic stability and people's livelihoods, according to Ecoiran. The remarks came on a day when Tehran's free-market dollar, gold, and coin prices all rose sharply, and after the UAE had already halted all trade and financial dealings with Iran. Aref's comments followed the United States' announcement that a new round of sanctions against Iran was imminent.
EcoIran
Analysis: The UAE Was Iran's Top Import Source at $14.8 Billion; What Could Halting Trade Cost?
According to Khabaronline, published Saturday, August 22, 2026 (31 Mordad 1405), official foreign trade data show Iran imported about $14.8 billion in goods from the UAE in the first ten months of the Iranian year 1404 (roughly April 2025 to February 2026), giving the UAE a roughly 30.2 percent share of Iran's total import value and making it Iran's top import source. Over the same period, Iran's exports to the UAE totaled about $6.5 billion, putting two way trade at roughly $21.3 billion. Iran's imports from the UAE include industrial machinery and equipment, electronic parts and goods, auto parts, raw materials and consumer and food products; Iran's exports to the UAE are mainly petrochemical products, minerals and metals, iron and steel, copper, bitumen, and agricultural goods such as pistachios and saffron. Khabaronline's analysis says the $14.8 billion figure does not equal a direct loss of that size, since part of these goods can be sourced through other channels such as China, Turkey, India or Oman; the main cost, it says, is rebuilding the payment, shipping, insurance and customs clearance chain built around Dubai over many years. The report estimates that if rerouting the $21.3 billion in two way trade adds just 5 to 15 percent in extra cost, the added burden on Iran's economy would run from about $1.1 billion to $3.2 billion, figures it describes as a scenario estimate rather than a firm forecast. The report says Iran's currency market is the first channel through which this disruption's pressure will be transmitted.
Khabaronline
Mobile Phone Prices in Iran Jump Up to Fourfold in One Year
According to an ISNA report published Saturday (August 22), a review of popular mobile phone prices from August 2025 to August 2026 shows some models rose between two and four times in price. The report says the increase was especially notable for mid-range and budget models, which account for a larger share of market demand and therefore directly affect the choices of most consumers. ISNA attributes the rise to combined pressure from currency volatility, higher import costs, and supply constraints, since Iran's mobile phone market is entirely import-dependent and any disruption to import registration or currency allocation quickly shows up in retail prices. The report also notes recent instances of restrictions or temporary halts on mobile phone import registrations, which have added to concerns about tightening supply.
ISNA, citing Donya-e-Eqtesad
Iran's Industrial Input Inflation Hits a Record in Tir, Raising Warnings of a New Price Wave
According to an ecoiran report, the latest SHAMKH purchasing managers' index for Iran's industrial sector shows input inflation reached around 109% in Tir (July to August), a level unprecedented in recent years. The same data shows industrial conditions worsened from the previous month (Khordad), with the sharpest drop in efficiency in the food and oil sectors, where both supply and demand have weakened. The food industry, despite its strategic role during the economic blockade, is seeing falling demand that the report links to declining household purchasing power. Ecoiran warns that the rise in input costs is expected to feed through to finished industrial goods prices in the coming months.
EcoIran
CENTCOM Claims It Rerouted 68 Commercial Ships Under Iran Naval Blockade
US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted imagery early Saturday (August 22, Tehran time) on its official X account showing an MH-60R helicopter landing on the destroyer USS Ross, naming the ship one of more than 20 US warships supporting the naval blockade against Iran. CENTCOM claimed that, as of August 21 (30 Mordad 1405), US forces had rerouted 68 commercial vessels, disabled three ships, and boarded two others as part of the blockade. The announcement came two days after the UAE fully suspended trade and financial dealings with Iran, adding further pressure on the country's shipping routes and oil exports.
EcoIran
Insurance Expert: 75 Trillion Tomans of Industry Funds Stuck in the Sales Network
Iran's insurance industry generated more than 372,000 billion tomans in premiums in the first quarter of this Iranian year, up 124 percent year on year, but about 75,000 billion tomans of that money remains stuck with certain agents and brokers and has not yet been transferred to insurance companies. According to Ecoiran, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad, insurance industry expert Siamak Saharkhiz told Ecoiran the figure stems from premiums accumulating in the collection and settlement process. The report said that, alongside this backlog, some insurance companies are facing liquidity problems and delays in paying claims, while about 3,000 billion tomans of third party auto insurance has been sold without the cash being collected. Ecoiran said the central question is whether the backlog stems from problems in the settlement mechanism or partly from misconduct by some sales network operators, and whether resolving it requires only warnings from Iran's Central Insurance regulator or a structural overhaul of the premium collection process.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Ecoiran
Iran's Central Insurance Reports Settlement of War Damage Claims for More Than 30,000 Vehicles
Mousa Rezaei, head of Iran's Central Insurance, said on Friday, August 21, 2026 (30 Mordad 1405) that the insurance industry has so far settled damage claims for more than 30,000 of the 42,000 vehicles damaged in the recent wars, worth 3,500 billion tomans. According to Tasnim News Agency, as carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad, he also said 1,419 life insurance backed loans belonging to those killed in the wars, worth 1,000 billion rials, have been settled, with 183 more cases still being processed. Rezaei added that total claims in aviation insurance reached about 112 million dollars, of which more than 33 million dollars has been paid, while in marine insurance, 90 million dollars of a total 140 million dollars in claims has been paid out to those affected.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Tasnim
August Cash Subsidy for Iran's Fourth Through Ninth Income Deciles Deposited at 300,000 Tomans per Person
According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Shafaqna, published at 3:00 a.m. Friday, August 21, 2026, round 186 of the monthly cash subsidy for Mordad, at 300,000 tomans per person, was deposited and made available to withdraw for heads of household in income deciles four through nine. Iran's Subsidy Targeting Organization said the amount was paid net of any loan installments owed by recipients. This payment is separate from the subsidy for deciles one through three, which was deposited earlier, on the 25th of Mordad, at 400,000 tomans per person. Young Journalists Club also carried the same deposit under the headline "Round 186 Mordad cash subsidy deposited to heads of household in deciles four through nine," independently confirming the payment.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Shafaqna
Parliament Energy Committee Spokesman Says Fourth-Tier Gasoline Price Hike Is Off the Table for Now
Abdolreza Sepahvand, spokesman for parliament's Energy Committee, in comments carried by Young Journalists Club and relayed by Donya-e-Eqtesad at 5:31 a.m. Friday, August 21, 2026, said a gasoline price increase is not certain and the government is weighing three scenarios, with cutting consumption prioritized over raising prices. He said the previously floated 87,200-toman figure was never implemented and there is currently no plan for a fourth price tier. Sepahvand said the plan already running in Kerman since the start of Mordad, which adds a 5,000-toman gasoline quota to fuel cards, has been successful, and a fourth tier could eventually be offered to heavy consumers or luxury car owners. On reserves, he said the situation is adequate though lower than last year, while refinery output has risen by about 10 million liters versus a year earlier.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing YJC
Bessent: 'Toughest Sanctions in History' Coming for Iran as US Treasury Designates 10 Linked to Iran and Hezbollah
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Thursday, August 20, 2026 (29 Mordad 1405) that Washington will impose the "toughest sanctions in history" on Iran, describing it alongside the existing naval blockade as a "one-two punch" that will "collapse this regime." He warned countries still trading with Iran that they must side with the US or face action from the US Treasury, but declined to say whether China specifically would be targeted, saying some conversations are best held in private, while noting China gets about 50 percent of its energy from the Persian Gulf. According to Al Jazeera, the remarks came a day after President Donald Trump threatened "tremendous" economic consequences for countries helping Iran.\n\nIn the same interview, per Donya-e-Eqtesad citing ISNA, Bessent claimed that applying maximum economic pressure could prevent a broad resumption of military operations; the report said oil prices rose after the interview aired. Separately that same Thursday, the US Treasury announced fresh sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Iran, Hezbollah, Russia and Cuba. Per Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing the Young Journalists Club, three of those listed, all Turkish nationals, are linked to Iran, while seven are linked to Hezbollah, including one Iranian national. Al Jazeera separately identified a Turkish businessman among the Hezbollah-linked designees, accused of helping funnel funds to the group.
Al Jazeera
Chicken Meat Output Falls 25 Percent in a Year
According to Ministry of Agriculture Jihad data, chicken meat output fell from 230,000 tons in Khordad 1404 to 174,000 tons in Khordad this year, a 25 percent drop in the supply of chicken to the market. As reported by Fars News Agency and carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Thursday, August 20, 2026 (29 Mordad 1405), chicken prices rose after the removal of the preferential exchange rate and higher input costs, though the ministry has not yet published figures on any change in household consumption since that removal. Per the report, Agriculture Jihad Minister Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh said at a news conference three days earlier that the country "no longer needs to import chicken meat" and has now entered an export phase. The report said that despite the absence of imports and the simultaneous export of chicken, no shortage is visible in the market.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Fars News Agency
Payment of August Pensions for 5.3 Million Social Security Retirees Starts on 29 Mordad
Iran's Social Security Organization said in a notice on Thursday, August 20, 2026 (29 Mordad 1405) that payment of August pensions for more than 5.3 million of its retirees and pensioners will begin at noon on Thursday, 29 Mordad, and be carried out over three days, alphabetically and through partner banks. According to Ecoiran, citing Jamaran, August pay slips will be viewable from the first of Shahrivar through the organization's online services portal and the "Tamin-e Man" app. The notice said that the timing for paying arrears from the annual adjustment differential and the third phase of the salary alignment for Farvardin and Ordibehesht will be officially announced once the required funding is secured. The organization asked retirees who do not receive a bank text message by the end of the stated period to check their account balances.
Ecoiran, citing Jamaran
Trump Threatens 'Tremendous' Economic Consequences for Countries Helping Iran
US President Donald Trump announced the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country" against Iran on his Truth Social platform on the evening of Wednesday, August 19, 2026 (28 Mordad 1405), while simultaneously threatening "tremendous economic consequences" for any country that helps Iran. According to Oilprice, he wrote that any country allowing its financial institutions, businesses, airports or government entities to provide any lifeline to Iran would itself face economic consequences, and called for an immediate halt to oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries and front companies. Trump did not explicitly name any country in the post. Per Oilprice, in the oil market Iran's key customer is China, which has bought more than 90 percent of sanctioned Iranian oil in recent years. Analysts had earlier expected China's independent refiners to return to buying higher volumes of Iranian crude in August as stockpiles in Shandong fell to their lowest level this year.
Oilprice
Iran's Foreign Ministry Calls New US Sanctions 'Economic Terrorism'
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Thursday, August 20, 2026 (29 Mordad 1405) in response to fresh US economic sanctions, calling the move "economic terrorism" and "a crime against humanity." According to IRNA, the statement said the US establishment had claimed to impose sweeping economic and trade sanctions on the Iranian nation to coincide with the anniversary of the August 19, 1953 (28 Mordad 1332) coup, framing it as a continuation of 73 years of hostility by American policymakers. The ministry stressed that the sanctions, imposed after the wars of the past year and a half and a failure to force Iran into submission, would have "not the slightest effect" on Iranians' resolve, describing them as "the other side of the coin of war and military aggression." While condemning the US action, the statement said the Islamic Republic of Iran remains "steadfast and determined" in defending its national security and interests.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing IRNA
CBI Governor: Food Coupon to Rise Up to 23 Percent as 75 Trillion Tomans in Bank Iran Zamin Assets Move to Central Bank With Judiciary Support
Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said on Thursday, August 20, 2026 (29 Mordad 1405), in a special televised interview carried by Boursenews, that the government is committed to raising the value of Iran's electronic food coupon (kalabarg) by 22 to 23 percent in line with market exchange rate changes, without relying on money printing, which fuels inflation, while alternative plans for a stable funding source are underway. He said recent developments in the foreign exchange payment system have secured an uninterrupted currency supply for essential goods, medicine and other basic needs in the coming months. In the same interview, Hemmati said that with special support from the head of the judiciary, 75 trillion tomans in assets belonging to Bank Iran Zamin have been transferred to the central bank against the bank's 110 trillion toman overdraft, with the fate of the remaining 45 trillion tomans to be determined within the next two months. He called excess withdrawals and liquidity creation by non compliant banks the main driver of inflation in the country. The central bank governor added that all banks are required to submit and implement corrective plans, and that otherwise the central bank will take direct control of their management or, if reform proves impossible, move to dissolve them. In another part of the interview, he said raising the bank profit rate requires structural reforms that remain unavailable because of imbalances in the banking network.
Boursenews
Transport Expert Says Foreign Consultants' 2008 Advice to Prioritize Rail Investment Was Ignored
Mehrdad Taghizadeh, a former deputy minister of roads and urban development and a transport expert, said at a session on transport safety reported by Ecoiran on Thursday, August 20, 2026 (29 Mordad 1405), that foreign consultants had recommended since 2008 (1387) that Iran direct most of its investment toward railways and had set out a clear technology based priority list for capacity development, but those recommendations were ignored in practice. He added that, contrary to that plan, implementation has in practice gone the opposite way, with decisions in the sector driven by heavy demand from members of parliament rather than technical expertise.
Ecoiran
Hemmati: No Plan for Now to Change the Bank Interest Rate; Disinflation Has Not Stopped
Central Bank of Iran Governor Abdolnasser Hemmati told Donya e Eqtesad early on Thursday, 29 Mordad 1405 (August 20, 2026), that when a significant share of the country's banks are running negative capital positions, inflation cannot be controlled through the interest rate alone, and so there is currently no intention to change the bank interest rate. In a separate remark carried the same day by Ecoiran, he noted that last month's inflation slowed somewhat, adding that the trend will not stop quickly and minor effects, such as on rents, may appear in Mordad and Shahrivar (August and September), but he does not expect this year's inflation to differ much from the prior month. He said that, contrary to some predictions of a hyperinflation episode, no such thing has happened so far.
Donya-e-Eqtesad
France and Iran Reciprocally Expel Two Diplomats Each
Iran's Foreign Ministry said in an official statement on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 (27 Mordad 1405) that it has designated two French embassy staff in Tehran as personae non gratae over what it called activities in violation of international law, specifically the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and has barred their entry into Iran. The ministry said no corrective action had been taken by the French government despite several weeks having passed since the conduct was disclosed. Hours earlier, French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrot had announced Paris would expel two Iranian diplomats in the coming days. According to ILNA, Barrot said the two Iranian diplomats would leave France within the coming days. The reciprocal moves come amid wider diplomatic tensions between Iran and European countries.
Khabaronline, citing Iran's Foreign Ministry
Trump: No Talks Underway With Iran, Strait of Hormuz Declared Open and Active
US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on the evening of Tuesday, August 18, 2026 (27 Mordad 1405) that no negotiation or talks are underway or planned with the Islamic Republic of Iran. He added that the naval blockade remains in full force, but the Strait of Hormuz is open and active and all mines have been removed or destroyed. According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Asr Iran, Semafor journalist Shelby Talcott reported around the same time that a White House official characterized the post as meaning talks with Iran are called off until further notice. Earlier the same day, at 17:49 Tehran time, Ecoiran had separately reported the same Trump statement, noting he rejected any ongoing negotiation while confirming the naval blockade continues and the Strait of Hormuz remains open and active. The remarks come after US-Iran talks stalled; the same day saw several security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, including the detention of a UAE-flagged tanker and an unidentified projectile striking a cargo ship.
Donya-e-Eqtesad
Customs Chief: Mobile Phone Import Registration Resumes
According to Fars News Agency, carried by Donya-e-Eqtesad on Tuesday, 18 August 2026 (27 Mordad 1405), Iran's Customs Administration chief Faroud Asgari said on the sidelines of a news program that registration for mobile phone import orders, halted since the start of this Iranian year, has resumed. He said the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade approved a mobile phone import quota on Monday, 17 August (26 Mordad), reopening the path for the devices to enter the country. Asgari said only 1 million mobile phones were imported in the first five months of this year, down from more than 3 million in the same period last year, a shortfall the ministry's new decision is expected to help offset.
Donya-e-Eqtesad, citing Fars News Agency
Business Support Committee Suspends 10 Percent Levy on Oil and Gas Sea Freight
According to Ecoiran, citing ILNA and published on Tuesday, 18 August 2026 (27 Mordad 1405), Iran's Business Support Committee, in its 104th session, approved suspending the collection of a 10 percent levy on freight fees for oil and gas liquid imports and exports carried by non-Iranian shipping fleets, pending cabinet approval of a list of items subject to the fee. Mohammad Zaeri, head of the Iran Chamber of Commerce's Business Improvement Center, said the underlying law dates to 2008 (1387) and has been in force since 2023 (1402), but lacks the required cabinet resolution for its list of covered items. At the session, an Oil Ministry representative said collecting the levy makes no sense when Iran's domestic maritime fleet lacks the needed capacity, and the committee's secretariat called for fully exempting exports from the fee. Majid Ansari, the president's deputy for legal affairs and the committee's rotating chair, said the levy should be waived until the cabinet approves the list.
Ecoiran, citing ILNA
Parliament Speaker Voids Fee Collection From Stores and Banks Under Iran's Food Coupon Plan
According to Boursenews, published on Tuesday, 18 August 2026 (27 Mordad 1405), Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament, sent an official letter to President Masoud Pezeshkian declaring part of a cabinet resolution on funding the food security and livelihood guarantee plan, known as the kalabarg (food coupon) program, to be contrary to law. Citing the ruling of the government's Board for Reviewing Compliance of Resolutions with Law and articles 85 and 138 of the constitution, Ghalibaf said clause "b" of item 1 of cabinet resolution No. 30009/T65688H, dated 21 June 2026 (31 Khordad 1405), which had allowed the program's operator to collect fees from participating stores and from partner banks to cover implementation costs, had no legal basis. Per article 60 of the law on amendments to state financial regulations, if the government does not revise the resolution within one week of the letter, the disputed section will automatically be voided.
Boursenews
Statistical Center: Iran's Industrial Producer Point to Point Inflation Hit 109 Percent in Spring 2026
Iran's Statistical Center said, in a report carried by Ecoiran on Tuesday, 18 August 2026 (27 Mordad 1405), that the industrial producer price index reached 605.3 points in the spring of 1405 (ended June 21, 2026), up 36.2 percent from the prior quarter and 70.9 percent from the same quarter a year earlier. The index's point to point annual inflation rate climbed to 109 percent, up from 66.3 percent the previous quarter. Per the report, tobacco product manufacturing posted the sharpest quarterly rise at 107.4 percent, while coke and refined petroleum products posted the smallest at 13.1 percent. On the annual measure, paper manufacturing led with 96.8 percent growth and apparel trailed with 45.9 percent. Analysts say accelerating producer inflation can, with a lag, squeeze manufacturers' margins or push up consumer prices.
Ecoiran, citing the Statistical Center of Iran
Egyptian and Kuwaiti Foreign Ministers Call for Iran and the US to Return to Their Memorandum
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Jarrah Al-Sabah, in a phone call reported by Khabaronline, citing ISNA and RT Arabic, on Monday, 26 Mordad 1405 (August 17, 2026), reviewed the latest regional developments and stressed the need to de-escalate tensions and return to the diplomatic track. The main focus of the call was Iran-US relations and ways to prevent tensions in the region from escalating further. The two ministers said a return by Iran and the United States to their bilateral memorandum could form the basis for resuming diplomacy and reaching a durable agreement, and stressed the need to intensify diplomatic efforts to contain tensions and ease regional security concerns. The call came on the day the Iran-US 60-day understanding expired without a formal extension.
Khabaronline, citing ISNA and RT Arabic