Iranian Christians Struggle to Obtain the Basics as Iran's Economy Continues Free Fall

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Though the original reason for Iran’s national uprising was connected to economic collapse, it would seem that the freefall is something of a slow leak that had only just begun. Last week, Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri-Ghezeljeh told the state news agency ISNA that food insecurity was at an all-time high, and that staple meat prices had skyrocketed up to 178 percent year-over-year, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

Impact of the Slow Economic Demise of Iran and Trump’s Sanctions

At this time, a typical urban family needs 90.6 million tomans per month to survive, but the Supreme Labor Council has set the minimum wage at 26.15 million tomans. If a worker were to spend their total monthly income exclusively on food, it would only cover about 19 days.

Christian Aid Mission has been working alongside 4,100 house churches that train Iranian Christians for ministry work, and the leaders whom they support are reporting that believers are experiencing tremendous psychological stress. Many families are grieving loved ones who are missing or have been killed, and many families are in severe poverty and unable to feed themselves, according to the Christian Newswire.

A severe energy crisis is also taking place. Energy Management Chief Saqab-Esfahani said that gasoline consumption is 135 million liters per day, while refinery production is only 121 million liters per day. The 15 million daily deficit has put the Iranian government in the precarious position of trying to determine how to implement price hikes without exacerbating the ongoing uprisings.

Not only are Iranian workers striking over unpaid wages, but grassroots protests are taking place in many key cities because Iran’s Social Security and healthcare system has a significant amount of government corruption, so Social Security payments are often delayed, and medical care and prescriptions are becoming unaffordable. Food and Drug Organization Chief Mehdi Pirsalehi has admitted that about 66 percent of essential medicines experienced significant price increases and that supply chain issues contributed to shortages, according to NCRI.   

Iran’s Demise Expected to Worsen as Battle Over Who Controls Strait of Hormuz Continues

Iran’s demise is anticipated to continue to grow worse, especially since gas and oil exports have been a significant part of the country’s revenue, and sanctions are hindering its economic growth. President Trump has indicated that he intends to continue the economic warfare and has told other countries that attempt to do business with Iran that they will experience economic consequences.

Throughout this prolonged and ongoing conflict, both nations - Iran and the United States - have asserted that they have control of the Strait of Hormuz. However, control over that all-important Middle Eastern waterway remains a highly contentious sticking point in this military operation. Leaders, as they have gone back and forth, have continually mentioned the Strait of Hormuz in their public comments. 

Trump has indicated that one nonnegotiable regarding a future peace treaty with Iran is that Iran must “get rid of, completely, they have to get rid – no nuclear weapons. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. You know why? Cause they’d use it,” he told CBN.

A Call to Speak Out for Persecuted Christians

Meanwhile, as Russia continues to batter Ukraine and persecute Christians on both sides of the conflict, former chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives Steven Moore continues to lead the Ukraine Freedom Project (UFP). The organization has delivered 250 tons of food, medical supplies, body armor, and other critical aid to those who are fighting on the front lines, according to the Faith Under Siege website.

The organization seeks to raise awareness about the extent of the persecution and torture of Christians trapped in the war zones while also encouraging Americans to reach out to the U.S. Congress and White House to take more steps to protect these Christians. A five-part docuseries featuring true-story testimonies is being made available. The name of the series is Faith in War. Those interested in standing with Ukraine and persecuted Christians can find details on how to help by clicking here.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Naruedom

Elizabeth Delaney has been a freelance content writer for over 20 years and has enjoyed having her prose published in both the non-fiction and fiction markets. She has written various types of content, including Christian articles, healthy lifestyle, blog posts, business topics, news articles, product descriptions, and some fiction. She is also a singer-songwriter-musician. When she is not busy with writing or music, she enjoys spending time with friends or family and doing fun social activities such as hiking, swing dancing, concerts, and other activities.