As prices soar, Iranian diets shrink to survival level

Messages sent to Iran International from cities across the country paint a picture of households slipping steadily down the hierarchy of human needs.

Many say their tables have been reduced to the level of survival, where staying full matters more than quality, variety or nutritional value.

If many families had already removed red meat, fish and even chicken from their diets in recent years, messages received by Iran International suggest that fruit, eggs and dairy products have now also become luxuries for a large share of households.

Instead, they say they rely on filling foods such as pasta, potatoes, onions, bread and plain rice.

One citizen summed up the sense of despair bluntly: "If the Islamic Republic remains, we will be buried in the graveyard of our dreams."

Another said that most days their family eats little beyond potatoes, onions and lentil soup.

The accounts reflect a shift toward the most basic physiological needs required for survival, with little room for long-term health, development or security.

One citizen said that after months of buying food from weekly street vendors because shops had become too expensive, even those purchases are now out of reach.

"I only buy the absolute necessities now, things like potatoes, tomatoes and onions, and even then I buy the lowest-quality produce available," the person said.

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A resident of Isfahan said the family's meals now consist largely of potatoes, pasta, or bread and cheese.

Official figures show some food categories rising well into triple digits over the past year while wages have failed to keep pace.

According to Central Bank data for the past month, year-on-year inflation reached 161 percent for milk, cheese and eggs, 267 percent for oils and fats, and 176 percent for meat products.

Citizens reported that lamb currently sells for around 22 million rials ($12.5) per kilogram, while beef costs roughly 15 million rials ($8.5) per kilogram.

Masoud Rasouli, secretary of the Meat Packaging and Protein Industry Association, said in early June that demand for red meat had fallen by about 50 percent compared with the previous year.

Many families told Iran International they had eliminated animal protein entirely from their diets despite warnings from health experts that prolonged protein deficiencies can lead to widespread malnutrition, particularly among children and adolescents.

Doctors have warned that shrinking household food baskets and a shift toward cheaper, lower-quality products could contribute to rising rates of anemia, weakened immune systems and other long-term health problems.

'Nothing but bread and cheese'

Several citizens said an ordinary package of breakfast cheese now costs around 2 million rials ($1.1).

"Many days our lunch and dinner consist only of bread and cheese," one person said. "But even if you live only on bread and cheese, you would still need about 150 million rials ($85) a month."

Iran's minimum monthly wage currently stands at around 160 million rials ($90).

Citizens reported prices of around 250,000 rials ($0.14) for a single egg, more than 10 million rials ($5.6) for a liter of cooking oil, and about 5 million rials ($2.8) for a 2.5-kilogram container of yogurt.

Many said that salaries which barely reach 200 million rials ($113) a month have left them struggling to secure even protein-free meals.

The messages also point to a more troubling development: the gradual replacement of food with whatever can fill an empty stomach.

A resident of Tabriz said they now buy meat stock instead of meat simply to create the flavor of meat in stews.

A mother from Dehloran in Ilam Province said her children have not eaten meat for months and that even chicken has become unaffordable.

Others described selling household belongings to cover food expenses.

"We have cut costs everywhere possible and there is almost nothing left on our table," one citizen said. "I have not eaten a proper meal in a week. We are reaching a point where we cannot afford three meals a day."

For a growing number of Iranians, the question is no longer how to maintain a standard of living, but how to secure enough food to get through another day.

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