Iran’s impotent ayatollah pleads with businesses not to lay off workers as economy craters

Iran’s economic crisis deepened as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called for frugality and restraint on layoffs, acknowledging the severity of the country’s financial struggles. The Iranian rial has lost half its value in the past year, with $1 now buying 1.9 million rials, while inflation exceeds 53%, according to the International Monetary Fund. Food prices have skyrocketed, with eggs up 60%, chicken and lamb 45%, and rice 31%, according to an Associated Press report. The US blockade, which has redirected 67 commercial ships from Iranian ports since last month, is exacerbating the strain. President Trump’s administration has intensified economic pressure, betting that Iran will concede to demands. Meanwhile, Iran’s attempts to mitigate the crisis—such as a 60% minimum wage hike and free public transport—have backfired, worsening inflation and harming small businesses like taxi drivers. Mohammad Deljoo, a 73-year-old driver in Tehran, survives on $4 a day, buying only essentials like bread and potatoes after egg prices became unaffordable. Economist Taymur Rahmani warned that government policies, including coupon schemes for essential goods, have made inflation more volatile. Khamenei’s rare public remarks, released via Telegram, urged employers to avoid layoffs amid reports of 3.5 million affected workers. However, the economic reality shows no immediate relief, with the IMF predicting a 6% contraction in Iran’s economy next year. Citizens like Deljoo blame vendors for price gouging, highlighting the desperation gripping the nation.