Iran’s shopkeepers struggle as war dims demand

At a Tehran bazaar where fragrant herbs and spices whet the appetite, shopkeeper Nasir says locals once bought his nuts by the kilo but soaring prices caused by the US-Iran war have eaten into sales, leaving businesses fighting for survival.

The marketplace in the Iranian capital’s north would usually be abuzz with customers, but shops now sit mostly empty with only small numbers of people walking its old narrow paths, a jarring shift for the sellers shouting to promote their goods.

“There used to be customers who bought two to five kilograms. Now, they’re down to buying one kilogram or half a kilogram,” said the 61-year-old.

“Prices are truly high. We all know it, and it would be a lie to say otherwise.”

Nasir called on authorities to stabilise the currency so businesses could plan ahead.

“We’re left in limbo, everyone is,” said the fruit and nut seller.

“They need to stabilise the dollar exchange rate.”

Iran’s economy has been battered by years of sanctions, but the conflict that began in February with US-Israeli attacks and an American blockade of the country’s ports has put extra strain on daily life.

Rising inflation, nearly 90% year-on-year in September according to official figures, and erratic currency exchange fluctuations have driven up the cost of everyday items. Food prices have more than doubled since last year.

At the bazaar, a historic covered market in Tehran’s Tajrish square, locals surrounded by Iranian flags and Persian signage try to escape the economic gloom, scanning sweets, jewellery, traditional garments and cuts of meat before their weekend begins.

In an alley, a street artist plays a guitar while another drums his hands on a box to draw tips from passersby.

‘Just need stability’

But across the commercial district, many struggle to see a future for their businesses.

“It is a desperate, last-ditch struggle. Manufacturers are going bankrupt, laying off staff and closing shops, and the impact inevitably reaches us,” said Ali Nowruzi, 36, who runs a sportswear shop in the bazaar.

The businessman now orders only a few items for display on his shop’s shelves to stop them from looking bare like his warehouse, which he says lies empty due to lack of demand.

“We have absolutely no plan for the future. When people don’t come to buy… it effectively spells bankruptcy for the business,” he said, citing rising rent and utility bills.

“We just need some stability.”

Many shoppers, whose purchasing power has weakened since the outbreak of war, are seen leaving the bazaar without buying anything.

Azadeh, a 45-year-old woman currently out of work, says she just goes there to “watch the shops”.

Mounting pressure over the war saw Iran’s GDP contract 10.1% year-on-year between late March and late June, according to official figures.

The rial traded at around 2.7 million to the dollar on the unofficial market in the past week, compared with about 1.7 million before the war.

The minimum monthly wage that stood at around US$120 a year ago has fallen to US$65.

The country’s economy minister has rejected predictions of an imminent economic collapse, accusing Iran’s foes of trying to fuel public anxiety and drive up exchange rates.

Prices ‘skyrocketed’

Azadeh offers a price comparison of a kitchen cloth bought several months ago for 22 cents. She says that item now costs US$1.10, five times more.

“It shows that prices haven’t just gone up — they’ve truly skyrocketed,” she said.

She has stopped buying some fruits and says she can no longer afford holidays.

“We aren’t meant to just exist, we’re meant to actually live, right?” she asked.

Car mechanic Mojtaba Rezaei says his customers have “dropped to a tenth of what it was” because “goods now cost two or three times as much”.

“I actually feel embarrassed telling prices to customers. People just come in, ask the price, and leave,” the 57-year-old told AFP at the bazaar.

“So many things — buying clothes, going out for leisure, dining at restaurants — have all been cut out of our lives.”

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