CNN’s Fred Pleitgen talks to Iranians about the economic hardship the country is facing
CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen is on the ground in Tehran and has been speaking to locals about the economic fallout of the US and Israel’s war against Iran.
“The market is really collapsed now,” Roya, an Iranian woman on the streets of Tehran, told Pleitgen.
Iran’s economy was already in a dire state before the conflict. National income per person had fallen from about $8,000 in 2012 to $5,000 in 2024, ravaged by inflation, corruption and sanctions. The outlook now is even worse. Up to 4.1 million more people could fall into poverty due to the conflict, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
Prices of basic goods have skyrocketed, pushing the Iranian economy to the edge as Washington and Tehran try to find a way to end the conflict. Mehrnaz, another Iranian citizen, told CNN that “inflation has made prices increase hundreds of times more.”
Not everyone has given up, however, with some still trying to make ends meet amid the uncertainty.
Israel and Iran have restored a ceasefire following an exchange of missiles on Sunday and Monday that threatened a major escalation in the conflict. Though Tehran has warned it will resume attacks if Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon continue.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump told reporters early Tuesday that a deal with Iran could be reached “in two or three days.” He claimed the deal would stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon and lead to the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Sahra, an Iranian woman, is resigned to the tragic reality that surrounds her. “It’s the consequences of war. We cannot do anything,” she said.
Editor’s Note: CNN operates in Iran only with the permission of the government but maintains full editorial control of its reports.
