Amid war and sanctions, many Iranians are losing their jobs and struggling to get by

People walk past closed shops at the nearly empty traditional main bazaar during Iranian New Year, or Nowruz, holidays in Tehran, Iran, March 29, 2026. Vahid Salemi/AP hide caption

ISTANBUL — Rasoul had a plan for the worst-case scenario. A 42-year-old engineer in Tehran with a steady job at a tech company, he often reassured his wife about their financial security. If times ever got truly tough, he would tell her, he could always drive for Snapp — Iran's local ride-sharing equivalent to Uber.

Since the United States and Israel attacked Iran over six months ago, ordinary Iranians have borne the brunt of a collapsing economy. Inflation has skyrocketed, driving up the costs of gas, food, and rent. Livelihoods across the country are unraveling, forcing many to borrow just to survive and put major life milestones on hold.

While the official unemployment rate in Iran sits at 9%, independent analysts say the true figure is significantly higher. The desperation for work is palpable: Jobvision, a prominent Iranian job-seeking portal, reported a 50% spike in resume submissions in late April alone.

Even state-sanctioned labor leaders acknowledge the depth of the crisis. In May, Alireza Mahjoob, head of Iran's Workers House — the country's primary labor organization — admitted on state television that joblessness was far worse than anticipated.

"We don't know how much it will afflict our already fragile working class, leaving us all helpless and powerless," Mahjoob said.

For Rasoul, the decline was swift. In January, during a brutal government crackdown on protests, Iranian authorities severely restricted internet access to cut off communication with the outside world.

Because his company depended on worldwide networks that were cut off by the regime, the disruptions severely damaged his company's delivery services.