Iranian Rial Hits New Low Amid Sanctions Pressure

The Iranian rial continued its slide against the US dollar, with the free-market rate approaching 150,000 tomans per dollar amid tightened sanctions enforcement. Year-on-year inflation reached 60% in January, with food prices up 72% and health costs up 50%. The economic pressure fueled ongoing protests that had begun in late December 2025, adding domestic urgency to the upcoming Muscat negotiations.