Iran shopkeepers fear bankruptcy amid war-driven p...

Summary

• Azadeh, 45, who is out of work, said she now visits only to look at the shops.
• “We aren’t meant to just exist, we’re meant to actually live,” Azadeh said.
• Car mechanic Mojtaba Rezaei, 57, said his customers had fallen to a tenth of their former number, because goods now cost two or three times as much.

AI Generated Summary

Iran shopkeepers in Tehran say sales have collapsed as war-driven inflation eats into incomes, leaving many unsure their businesses will survive.

At the historic covered bazaar in Tajrish square, in the north of the capital, the old narrow lanes usually buzz with buyers. Now, most shops sit largely empty, while sellers call out to the few people who pass by.

Nasir, a 61-year-old who sells fruit and nuts, said customers once bought two to five kilograms at a time. “Now, they’re down to buying one kilogram or half a kilogram,” he said.

“Prices are truly high,” he added. He urged the authorities to steady the currency so that traders could plan ahead. “We’re left in limbo, everyone is,” Nasir said.

War deepens strain on Iran shopkeepers

Years of sanctions had already battered the economy of Iran. However, the conflict that erupted in February, with US and Israeli strikes and a US blockade of Iranian ports, has piled extra pressure on households.