Fuel Price Hike Squeezes Already Stretched Household Budgets

The gasoline price increase immediately cascades into transport and delivery costs across Iran. Taxi and ride-sharing services in Tehran announce fare increases of 30-40%. Small business owners and delivery drivers report the new prices make their operations unsustainable. Economists warn the fuel hike will feed through to food prices within days, as the cost of transporting goods from farms and ports to urban markets rises sharply. The timing, amid a currency crisis and 42% inflation, maximizes the shock to household budgets.