It is one thing to say there are problems, it is an entirely different thing to say there is only problems.
The fact is, millions of young people are unemployed
Lets verify unemployment with hard data not random statements of "my gut tells me the situation is bad".
According to official statistics published by Statistical Centre of Iran, the unemployment rate for 1403 is 7.4% (
https://amar.org.ir/).
Is it high? Yes.
Is it higher than normal? Not really.
Should the government improve it? Definitely.
Why is it not abnormal and not as bad as Western propaganda pieces want us to believe? Because when you compare the situation in Iran with the rest of the world, Iran's numbers aren't really higher. For example the regionally speaking, the unemployment rate for Turkey has been between 8 to 12% over the past couple of years. Or in Germany that has a population close to Iran's and is one of the largest economies in Europe, the unemployment rate is 6.3% (
https://tradingeconomics.com/germany/unemployment-rate).
Neither of these other countries have been under any kind of sanctions (economic terrorism) or in a 50 year old cold war with NATO.
Renting even a modest basement on the outskirts of a city can require a deposit of 500 million tomans and a monthly rent of 5 million tomans — while many workers earn no more than 10 million tomans per month.
So you say half of
minimum wage goes for rent in Iran? In other words you are saying the situation is better than for example London when
nearly half of
average income goes for rent.
That's not to mention the numbers you posted are not from "outskirts" of the city, these numbers for renting a modest apartment in central Tehran. In the outskirts like Parand, Tehran the value is half that. 200 million deposit with no rent. Some examples from Divar:
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] some of these examples aren't exactly modest either, like #4!
Many companies fail to provide insurance for their employees, and favoritism is widespread across institutions.
Welcome to the real world where things aren't fair and Capitalism exists. As you put childhood behind and enter adulthood entering the real world you'll face more of these ugly truths, none of which are specific to Iran.
You gotta learn to deal with them; fix if you can, suck it up if you can't!
P.S. By the way none of your subsequent arguments about poverty, unemployment and rent are explaining your initial false statement about Iran not being self sufficient though... what you are doing is called whataboutism...
Parand is located about 58 kilometers from Tehran’s city center — a long and exhausting commute. The extremely low housing prices in Parand exist for a reason. Life there comes with serious drawbacks, most notably the lack of access to stable employment. The city has few local job opportunities, forcing many residents to seek work in Tehran. But daily commuting over such a distance, combined with Tehran’s chronic traffic, makes it nearly impossible to arrive at work on time. What might seem like affordable housing quickly turns into a time-consuming, costly, and unsustainable lifestyle.
Adding to the frustration, many real estate agents in Parand use deceptive advertising practices. It’s common to see attractive online listings featuring luxurious apartments that simply don’t exist. These misleading photos are often of entirely different properties, designed to lure potential buyers into their offices. When you visit in person, you realize the actual houses bear little resemblance to what was advertised.
On a broader level, Iran’s economy faces serious structural weaknesses. Despite decades of official claims about self-sufficiency, Iran remains heavily dependent on imports. In 2022, the country imported goods worth US$58.7 billion, including massive quantities of essential foodstuffs such as grain, meat, rice, and tea. For example, in 2017 alone, grain imports were valued at around US$2.8 billion. These numbers make it clear that Iran is far from producing enough to meet its own needs.
Government-linked agencies routinely downplay the severity of the situation. Official statistics report an unemployment rate of around 9.2% in 2024, but that figure hides widespread underemployment and economic stagnation. Many Iranians, particularly young adults, have been forced into unstable gig work.
A telling example is the rise of Snapp, Iran’s version of Uber. Most of my friends now work as Snapp drivers not because they want to, but because there are no stable jobs available. According to the official statistics, they are counted as “employed,” yet in reality, they belong to a growing class of underemployed citizens struggling to make a living in a country where even basic economic security is out of reach.
