Why has finding work been difficult for many young people in Tehran?

Finding employment has been a significant challenge for young people in Tehran due to a combination of structural economic issues and international isolation. The Iranian economy remains heavily dependent on the oil and natural gas industries, which has hindered the development of a diverse job market capable of absorbing a growing, increasingly well-educated workforce.12

Several factors contribute to this difficulty:

• Economic Isolation: International sanctions and political tensions have restricted foreign investment and access to high technology, limiting market growth and job creation.2
• Public Sector Dependency: Historically, a large portion of the workforce relied on the government or public-sector resources. While privatization efforts have occurred, the economy has struggled to transition away from this model to create sufficient private-sector opportunities.1
• Demographic Pressure: A rapidly growing, young population has outpaced the government's ability to provide adequate employment, leading to frustration among the youth.2
• Informal Labor: Many young people are forced into casual or informal employment—such as street vending—which is often not reflected in official unemployment rate statistics.1