Unemployment rate in Iran
Iran: Unemployment rate was 8.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Iran, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Iran stood at 8.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and down 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Iran peaked at 13.7% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 8.1%, in 2023.
Iran ranks 54th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.3% | 9.1% | 11.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.6% | 10.3% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.9% | 10.6% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 8.1% | 9.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More work & labour data for Iran
- Women can take the same jobs as men 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 15.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 73.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 45.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 22.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 14.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 9.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Iran?
- Unemployment rate in Iran was 8.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 13.7% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.1% in 2023.
- How does Iran rank for unemployment rate?
- Iran ranks 54th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.