Iran’s economy grew marginally by 0.1% in the first six months of the calendar year 1404 (late March to late September 2025), according to the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI). During this period, Iran’s GDP reached 50,568 trillion rials (over $42.14 billion at free-market prices), marking a slight recovery after a 0.1% contraction in the June quarter, the first negative growth in four years.
When excluding oil and using 2021 fixed prices, Iran’s GDP actually fell by 0.5% year on year to 38,189 trillion rials. The manufacturing and mining sectors, including the oil industry, recorded modest growth of 0.3%, with the petroleum sector alone expanding by 1.8%. In contrast, agriculture struggled, shrinking by 3%, while the services sector grew by 0.5% over the same period.
The growth has persisted despite stringent US sanctions aimed at limiting Iran’s oil exports and revenue. Historically, the SCI reports more conservative growth figures than the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), which had estimated a 3.1% growth rate for the year ending late March, slightly above the SCI’s 3% estimate.
