Medicine prices soar in Iran as sanctions squeeze pharmaceutical supply

Medicine prices are soaring in Iran, and some treatments have become difficult to find, as a US blockade and intensified sanctions squeeze the country's pharmaceutical industry, according to reporting from France 24.

Patients and their families are reportedly scrambling to secure medications that were previously more readily available, with shortages affecting access to certain treatments across the country.

Iran's pharmaceutical sector, like much of its broader economy, has faced years of pressure from US sanctions, which restrict international trade and financial transactions tied to the country, complicating the import of raw materials and finished medicines.

Even medicines not directly targeted by sanctions can be affected indirectly, as broader restrictions on banking and trade make it harder and more expensive for Iranian companies to secure the components needed for production.

The situation adds further strain on ordinary Iranians already grappling with broader economic pressures, as rising medicine costs compound challenges linked to inflation and currency depreciation that have affected the country in recent years.