Financial Tribune - A report recently published by Majlis Research Center shows the poverty line in Tehran has reached 45 million rials ($240) a month for a family of four compared with 25 million rials ($133) of two years ago, i.e. an 80% increase in the minimum income or expenditure needed to ensure an adequate standard of living in the capital city.

Studies by the influential research arm of the parliament show the poverty line in Tehran was close to 10 million rials ($53.47) in the year ending March 2012 and gradual increases were registered up to the year ending March 2018.

However, the decline in per capita income and the depreciation of national currency in the fiscal 2018-19, as well as the rise in overall price levels, have led to a sudden surge in the poverty breadline.

The inflation rate stood at 31.2% in the fiscal 2018-19 and 41.1% in the fiscal 2019-20.