Food Prices Surge in a Year Marked by War on Iran
Last week, the Statistical Center of Iran published its inflation report for Esfand (ending March 20), the final month of the Iranian year 1404. Despite the record-high inflation reported for the year, its most noteworthy fact is its release amid heavy bombing by the United States and Israel. It is a reminder of the resilience of the Iranian spirit—not only on the battlefield, but also in maintaining the state’s core functions on schedule. Perhaps more damaging than the destruction of the country’s physical capital is the erosion of its institutions, of which the production of accurate statistics—even when politically inconvenient—is essential and far harder to rebuild.
(more…)Household Survey Data Reveal Modest Gains in Iran’s Living Standards for 2024/2025
The recently released microdata from Iran’s Household Expenditures and Income Survey (HEIS) offers valuable insights into household economic conditions across the country during the Iranian year ending on 20 March 2025 (Iranian year 1403 or 2024 for short). This post updates my earlier post on Iranian living standards in 2023.
(more…)Iran’s Investment Puzzle: Diverging Data, Converging Concerns
In a recent post, I discussed the rising standard of living in recent years and questioned how that could persist while the share of investment in GDP has been falling. Not only has it been falling, but to levels that seem inadequate for maintaining the capital stock—and with it, the quality of essential services like electricity. This is clearly unsustainable. If investment drops below 10 to 15 percent of GDP, the country would essentially be consuming by running down its capital—much like a household that sustains itself by selling off its furniture.
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Tyranny of numbers 
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