Overview
- Open‑market trackers put the rial at roughly 1.4–1.5 million to the US dollar this week, with Bonbast.com citing more than 1.42 million on Friday.
- Official data show inflation accelerating to 52.6% in December, following months of steep food‑price increases previously reported at 58% year on year in September.
- Protests that began in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar in late December stretched for weeks across cities, with rights groups reporting more than 2,600 people killed in the crackdown.
- Authorities replaced Central Bank Governor Mohammad‑Reza Farzin with Abdolnasser Hemmati and pledged to tackle economic problems, yet currency and market pressures persist.
- Sanctions tightened by the US and European allies have curbed oil revenues and access to hard currency, with Washington announcing new measures this week targeting officials involved in the protest crackdown.