Arab Times reported that the Iranian rial hit an all-time low of 2.25 million to the dollar on the informal market this week, surpassing the 2.1 million level crossed just days earlier. The development comes as the gap with the official central bank rate of approximately 1.5 million rials per dollar has widened to around 45 percent. Currency traders in Tehran quoted the rate amid reduced oil export revenues and restricted access to global finance, according to multiple market updates.
A Crypto Briefing report published on September 2 detailed how the rial had fallen from roughly 2.02 million per dollar in late August to the current record. Year-on-year inflation stood at 84.4 percent as of August, the assessment found, feeding into higher costs for food and imported essentials. US sanctions have choked off hard currency inflows by limiting oil sales and banking channels, the report stated.
The currency has lost approximately 60 percent of its value since March when one dollar bought about 1.35 million rials, Kurdistan24 figures show. Regional trade disruptions, including tightened measures involving the UAE as a key conduit, have compounded the pressure on Iran’s external accounts. Earlier currency slides in December 2025 and January triggered nationwide protests over rising prices, Al Jazeera reported at the time.
A decade ago the rial traded near 30,000 to the dollar on open markets, providing context for the scale of depreciation that has unfolded, according to historical economic data. The latest drop follows a series of US measures that included naval blockades and secondary sanctions on trading partners, AP News noted in related coverage. Iran’s central bank governor has pledged injections of up to $2 billion to support the currency while acknowledging heavy pressure on livelihoods.
Economists tracking the market have linked the freefall to a combination of external sanctions and internal factors including war-related damages estimated in the hundreds of billions. Food prices have risen by an average of 72 percent over the past year, Central Bank statistics indicate. The situation has strained household budgets and increased reliance on subsidies that are themselves under fiscal pressure.
Iran’s economy has faced repeated shocks from sanctions imposed after the 2018 withdrawal from the nuclear deal, World Bank analyses have shown in past reviews of regional impacts. Officials in Tehran have attributed the current crisis primarily to foreign policies aimed at isolating the country financially. Currency stability remains tied to any potential easing of export restrictions and restoration of banking access.
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