Iranian economy

Women seemingly forced to sell hair to survive in Iran, following Armenian smuggling attempt

Many Iranian activists have speculated that the hair came from some of the protesters killed during the January demonstrations, but hair smuggling was already a problem in Iran.

|ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
An Iranian woman walks on a street amid the implementation of the new hijab surveillance in Tehran, Iran, April 15, 2023
US President Donald Trump seen over an illustrative image of American-Iranian ties (illustrative)

Iran demands frozen assets be released in initial phase of deal with US, leading to stalemate

The dispute has emerged as one of the central obstacles preventing progress toward a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, which would be just the first step.

|ByAMICHAI STEIN
Iranian Americans and supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran take part in a march passing in front of the U.S Department of Labor building with a banner with the image of U.S. President Donald Trump, in Washington, DC, US, May 16, 2026.

Iran-US negotiations stalling around nuclear program, financial relief, mediators say - report

The US is pushing for firm, up-front commitments on Iran's part for the future of its nuclear program, the mediators said, while Iran is focused on relief from the US's sanctions and asset freezes.

|ByTZVI JASPER
GIRLS ATOP a corrugated tin roof on May 17, 2026 along the Strait of Hormuz in, on Qeshm Island, Iran.

Mojtaba Khamenei pushes for baby boom as regime braces for incoming population crisis

Much like his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Khamenei has seemingly pushed for an increase in marriage and birth rates across the Islamic Republic.

|ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD

Are EU sanctions against Iran beginning to evaporate?

The first Europe-Iran Forum, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday in London, stated its goal as “preparing post-sanctions investment and trade.”

OCTOBER 20, 2014ByBENJAMIN WEINTHAL
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton