Iran’s Labor Minister has unveiled a remarkable increase of over 60% in the country’s minimum wage, marking a landmark move that comes months after widespread protest movements fueled by severe economic hardship, according to AFP.
The government adjusts Iran’s minimum wage annually to keep pace with inflation that has risen sharply in recent years due to the impact of longstanding international sanctions.
The minister also announced that the monthly minimum wage is set to grow from 103 million rials to 166 million rials in the upcoming Persian calendar year, which is set to begin in just a few days.
Moreover, the government approved a similar increase in child support benefits.
Currently, the Iranian rial trades at nearly 1.47 million per U.S. dollar, according to monitoring site Bonbast.
Nationwide Protests
In December, the country witnessed a wave of widespread economic protests, driven by soaring living costs and the depreciation of the national currency.
These protests quickly developed into a nationwide movement demanding an end to Iran’s clerical leadership, which has ruled the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
In response, security forces launched a harsh crackdown, which rights organizations say resulted in thousands of deaths.
As a result, US President Donald Trump threatened to militarily intervene to protect Iranians.
US-Israel Strikes
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting its leadership and triggering a new conflict in the Middle East.
Iran has been responding with a retaliatory counterattack in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi as a retaliatory move, while launching barrages of missiles and drones toward Israel.
One of the US-Israel strikes had killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His killing has raised critical questions concerning Iran’s future.
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