Iran’s poverty rate continues to run rampant under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s oppressive regime.

A recent report by Iran’s semi-official Labour News Agency indicates that one-third of Iran’s population now lives in extreme poverty. However, international estimates suggest the real figure could be much higher, with human rights organizations reporting 60% of Iranians live below the poverty line.

For a typical Iranian family of four, the poverty threshold stands at roughly 150 million rials ($500) per month, while the national average income sits at just $265. With inflation nearing 50% and the rial losing half its value, Iran’s monthly minimum wage of $140 ranks among the world’s lowest.

According to data from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Iranians have dramatically cut their consumption of essential food items over the past decade. Per capita milk and dairy consumption has fallen to a mere 70 kg/year, less than half the global average. These stats are particularly shocking compared to neighboring Turkey, where citizens consume 3.5 times more dairy products.

The situation in the meat market is equally dire. FAO statistics show that per capita meat consumption has dropped from 38.6 kg in 2010 to 31.8 kg in 2024. Meat prices have experienced the highest inflation among food items, surging above 100% in mid-2022 and seeing a 74% year-by-year increase.

Somehow, Iran’s economic woes have led to a paradoxical surge in food exports. Despite the government terminating free milk distribution programs in schools in the mid-2010s and plummeting domestic demand, milk and dairy product exports have increased by 500% in recent years.