Overview
- A free-market exchange tracker reported the rial trading near 2.3–2.4 million per US dollar, marking the lowest value seen in unofficial markets and signaling acute pressure outside government rates.
- Official statistics show annual inflation at about 61.4% and food prices up roughly 128.1% year-on-year, sharply eroding household purchasing power for staples and medicines.
- US steps to expand financial pressure, described by Washington as Operation Economic Outcast, are being cited by analysts and officials as a key constraint on Iran's ability to obtain foreign currency for imports.
- Iran's central bank governor says the country still holds foreign-exchange reserves and can intervene in FX markets, but traders report continued volatility and limited access to dollars for businesses.
- Tehran has tied a conditional offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to concessions from Washington, a diplomatic channel that remains unresolved and could shape both sanctions relief and trade flows.