Iran raises its minimum wage by over 60% for the new Persian year, a move following months of protests over economic hardship and high inflation.

PARIS: Iran’s labour minister has announced a more than 60% increase in the national minimum wage.

The hike was reported by local media on Sunday, months after widespread anti-government protests initially sparked by dire economic conditions.

According to the Tasnim news agency, the monthly minimum wage will rise from 103 million rials to 166 million rials for the new Persian year, which begins in days. The report cited the minister, stating the increase was approved “with the government’s approval”.

The agency also announced a similar rise in child support benefits.

Iran adjusts its minimum wage annually to account for inflation, which had soared under international sanctions. This economic pressure intensified in the months preceding the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

The Iranian rial trades at approximately 1.47 million to the US dollar, according to the monitoring website Bonbast.

Major economic protests erupted last December, ignited by the high cost of living and the national currency’s depreciation. These demonstrations swiftly evolved into a nationwide movement demanding an end to the country’s clerical leadership, which has held power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Authorities launched a severe crackdown on the protests. Rights groups reported that thousands were killed in the suppression, prompting former US President Donald Trump to threaten military intervention.

Trump’s stated objectives for a campaign against the Islamic Republic have since shifted. He has, however, repeatedly called on Iranians to seize the opportunity to rise up and take control of their country.

 The Sun Malaysia