Iran's Currency Collapse Deepens as Households Bear the Brunt

Iran's rial continues to depreciate amid heightened US pressure, with the dollar surpassing 200,000 tomans on the black market and long queues forming at Tehran gas stations ahead of new American sanctions announced Monday. The currency collapse is driving panic buying and record gold prices, while households absorb the shock by cutting consumption, savings, and essential spending. Iran's economy minister Ali Madanizadeh downplayed the impact, claiming the government has a two-year preparedness plan. Washington's expanded secondary sanctions target foreign companies and countries trading with Iran, though Tehran insists it cannot be fully isolated financially. The situation reflects a broader erosion of purchasing power affecting Iranian families.