Air Pollution Costs Iran $17 Billion a Year, Health Ministry Says

 

Iran’s air pollution caused an estimated $17 billion in economic losses over the past year, according to assessments by the country’s Health Ministry, highlighting the growing toll of environmental degradation on public health and productivity.

Based on the current exchange rate, the losses amount to nearly 1,394 trillion tomans, covering a wide range of impacts from work stoppages and school closures to premature deaths and long-term disability.

Officials say more than 58,000 deaths in 2024 were attributable to air pollution, including over 8,000 in Tehran alone. The fatalities were linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer, and other chronic conditions. In some cases, individuals with no prior medical history reportedly suffered fatal heart attacks triggered by polluted air.

Data released by the Ministry shows that Ahvaz, Isfahan, Tehran, Karaj and Mashhad recorded the highest annual concentrations of PM2.5 particles, while Sanandaj and Rasht had the lowest levels. Even in these relatively cleaner cities, pollution levels remained above World Health Organization standards.

In northern cities such as Rasht, officials cite waste burning and poor waste management as contributing factors to air pollution, underscoring the role of local governance in environmental health risks.

Emergency measures, including temporary closures and traffic restrictions, are described by authorities as short-term responses. Long-term solutions, they say, require coordinated action from 21 government bodies, a goal that has yet to translate into tangible improvements.

Despite repeated warnings, air pollution remains one of Iran’s most persistent and costly public health challenges, exacting a heavy price on both the economy and human lives.

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