Disabled Iranians deprived of state benefit payments, Tehran invests in war over welfare

In June, Iran canceled or suspended welfare payments for disabled citizens, including funds for living expenses, medical costs, and nursing support, due to a funding shortfall, as reported by the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA). This comes amid high inflation and economic strain exacerbated by recent conflicts and an internet blackout. A mother, "Mina," stated she did not receive two months of payments for her children's sanitary products, noting that diaper costs have more than doubled. Behrouz Marvati, director of Iran's Campaign for the Defense of the Rights of People with Disabilities, criticized the Ministry of Welfare for not increasing allowances to match inflation, stating, "Given the war conditions, the government has delegated the approvals related to tariff increases to ministers, but it seems that there is no will for this issue in the Ministry of Welfare." Janatan Sayeh, a research analyst, explained that economic pressure threatens the Iranian regime by increasing the likelihood of mass unrest and constraining its ability to finance its support base, leading the regime to prioritize military and security funding over welfare.