00:06Iran's economic crisis has entered a dangerous new phase.
00:10Official data shows annual inflation hitting 66 percent, but for the poorest families and
00:18disadvantaged provinces, that figure has already crossed into three-digit territory.
00:24Economists warn that Iran has entered what they call a period of economic misery.
00:33Price tags are outdated before the ink dries. Shopkeepers can't be blamed.
00:38They're racing against a clock that ticks every minute. But for shoppers like me, it's chaos.
00:44I calculate at the shelf, pay more at the counter, and walk away with nothing but dissatisfaction.
00:50For millions of Iranian families, putting food on the table has become a daily battle.
00:56With food inflation peaking at nearly 130 percent last month, staples like meat and dairy have become luxuries.
01:06The national currency, the real, has plummeted to record lows, eroding whatever savings families had left.
01:15Desperate times have forced millions to take on second jobs.
01:20Teachers, government employees, and factory workers are now spending their evenings driving for internet taxi services just to cover basic
01:31expenses.
01:35Skyrocketing prices are breaking us. As a retiree, my pension increases are meaningless.
01:40And when they can't keep up with inflation, I'm having to borrow left and right just to survive.
01:46Pass by any butcher shop and the prices tell the story. The rich don't notice. The poor can't afford it.
01:52That's where we stand as a country. The officials offer slogans. They talk about protecting people's livelihoods.
01:57But for millions of us, that livelihood simply doesn't exist anymore.
02:02But perhaps the most telling sign of this crisis is how Iranians are being forced to pay for their daily
02:10bread.
02:11Once reserved for cars and high-ticket items, buy-now-pay-later schemes are now being offered for meat, dairy,
02:21detergents and mobile phones.
02:24Billboards from companies like SnapPay line Tehran's streets advertising installment plans for groceries.
02:33Delivery services are even advertising half-sized portions of traditional dishes.
02:40Every day customers pick up an item, glance at the price and put it right back.
02:45Look at these shelves. They're full. The problem isn't supply. The problem is right here in my hand.
02:51This jar of miners now costs more than many Iranians earn in a day.
02:57So they walk in, they look and they walk out with nothing. That's the real story of Iran's economy today.
03:04Let's get started.
03:05To be careful, please.
