Malek Hosseini, Deputy Director of Entrepreneurship and Employment Development at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare, warned that if the negative economic growth continues, between 1,200,000 and 1,400,000 jobs will be lost in the country by the end of 2026. He also estimated the number of unemployed in Iran at about 2.5 million. According to Entekhab, Husseini announced that from March of last year until the end of August 2027, about 1,150,000 people were removed from the list of mandatory insured persons and the official labor market, and about 300,000 people were added to the list of pensioners from unemployment benefits. He emphasized that the exit statistics of the insured are still being examined to determine the share of retirement, disability and other factors from the decrease in employment. According to the report, the Deputy Minister of Labor pointed to the worsening of the sanctions, inflation and energy supply problems, and said that about 54% of employment in Iran is in the informal sector. He also warned that up to 750,000 workers in the clothing production and sales chain could lose their jobs if the supply of raw materials continued and 60% damage to the clothing industry.

Malek Hosseini, Deputy Director of Entrepreneurship and Employment Development at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare, warned that if the negative economic growth continues, between 1,200,000 and 1,400,000 jobs will be lost in the country by the end of 2026. He also estimated the number of unemployed in Iran at about 2.5 million. According to Entekhab, Husseini announced that from March of last year until the end of August 2027, about 1,150,000 people were removed from the list of mandatory insured persons and the official labor market, and about 300,000 people were added to the list of pensioners from unemployment benefits. He emphasized that the exit statistics of the insured are still being examined to determine the share of retirement, disability and other factors from the decrease in employment. According to the report, the Deputy Minister of Labor pointed to the worsening of the sanctions, inflation and energy supply problems, and said that about 54% of employment in Iran is in the informal sector. He also warned that up to 750,000 workers in the clothing production and sales chain could lose their jobs if the supply of raw materials continued and 60% damage to the clothing industry.