Iran’s unemployment rate, the proportion of the jobless population of ages 15 and above, stood at 9.2% in the first quarter of the current Iranian year (March 21-June 21), indicating a 0.4% year-on-year increase.
According to a new report by the Statistical Center of Iran, a total of 2.4 million Iranians were unemployed in Q1. Men’s unemployment stood at 7.8% while the rate for women hovered around 16.1%.
Over 1.69 million men and 708,085 women of ages 15 and above were jobless in Q1.
The unemployment rate was 10.1% for urban areas (1.99 million people) and 6.4% for rural areas (405,180 people).
SCI put the Q1 labor force participation rate — the proportion of the population of ages 15 and above that is economically active either employed or looking for a job — at 40.9% or 2.6 million people, registering a 0.5% decrease year-on-year.
Men’s and women’s economic participation rates were 68% and 13.8% respectively in the same period.
A total of 21.59 million men and 4.39 million women of ages 15 and above were economically active in Q1, i.e., they were either employed or looking for a job.
The center provides two figures for the youth unemployment rate: the proportion of the population between 15 and 24 years and those between 18 and 35 years.
The youth unemployment rate of those between 15 and 24 years stood at 24% in Q1, posting a 1.9% increase while the unemployment rate of those between 18 and 35 years stood at 16.6%, posting a growth of 1% YOY.