Unemployment rate (9/26/2025) in Iran
Iran: Unemployment rate (9/26/2025) was 9 in 2031. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Iran, 1990–2031
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
Iran recorded 9 for unemployment rate in 2031.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Iran peaked at 16.63 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 7.55, in 2024.
That places Iran 5th out of 22 countries with data for 2031, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Unemployment rate (9/26/2025) in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.2 | — |
| 1991 | 10 | -29.6% |
| 1992 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 10 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 9.08 | -9.2% |
| 1997 | 11.9 | +31.0% |
| 1998 | 13.57 | +14.0% |
| 1999 | 15.78 | +16.3% |
| 2000 | 16.05 | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 16.63 | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 12.2 | -26.6% |
| 2003 | 11.3 | -7.4% |
| 2004 | 12.3 | +8.8% |
| 2005 | 11.5 | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 11.3 | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 10.5 | -7.1% |
| 2008 | 10.4 | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 11.9 | +14.4% |
| 2010 | 13.5 | +13.4% |
| 2011 | 12.3 | -8.9% |
| 2012 | 12.1 | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 10.4 | -14.0% |
| 2014 | 10.6 | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 11 | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 12.43 | +13.0% |
| 2017 | 12.07 | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 12.12 | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 10.65 | -12.2% |
| 2020 | 9.6 | -9.9% |
| 2021 | 9.18 | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 9 | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 8.07 | -10.3% |
| 2024 | 7.55 | -6.5% |
| 2025 | 8 | +6.0% |
| 2026 | 9.2 | +15.0% |
| 2027 | 9 | -2.2% |
| 2028 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2029 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2030 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2031 | 9 | +0.0% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 9 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5, 1.8× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.45 | 9.08 | 15.78 | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.41 | 10.4 | 16.63 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.72 | 10.4 | 13.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.76 | 7.55 | 9.6 | 10 |
| 2030s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More work & labour data for Iran
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 44,188 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 40.34 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,874 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 8.53 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 2.43 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 57,320 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 20,416 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 36.89 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.89 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.574 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Iran?
- Unemployment rate in Iran was 9 in 2031, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 16.63 in 2001.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.55 in 2024.
- How does Iran rank for unemployment rate?
- Iran ranks 5th out of 22 countries with data for 2031.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Unemployment rate (9/26/2025). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database is created during the biannual WEO exercise, which begins in January and June of each year and results in the April and September/October WEO publication. Selected series from the publication are available in a database format.