The value of Iran's currency, the rial, has plummeted against the US dollar, exacerbating economic pressure amid protests among protesters that have been escalating since late December 2025.
As of January 12, 2026, the unofficial exchange rate on Tehran's open market was around 1.47 million rials to the dollar.
This rate is among the lowest values ever recorded in history, reflecting a depreciation of almost 45% over the past year.
The decline has led to an increase in inflation of around 42%, adversely affecting the cost of essential goods and eliminating the purchasing power of ordinary people.
At the same time, the currency's decline began to accelerate in mid-December 2025 when the rial reached 1.4 million to the dollar, sparking immediate unrest among traders and citizens.
According to analysts, this economic collapse was caused by international sanctions, inefficient management of foreign exchange reserves, as well as the government's decision to eliminate subsidized exchange rates for basic imports that burdened the economy.
In the meantime, the currency had recorded a fall to 1.45 million per dollar in early January 2026, before showing some stability.
