Iran’s worsening economic crisis is pushing some residents to desperate lengths, with people offering to sell multiple organs and body tissues, including kidneys, bone marrow, testicles and corneas, to escape mounting debts and meet basic household expenses. An investigation by Iran International has found a growing online market in which financially distressed Iranians are advertising body parts for sale, with some even willing to part with vital organs to secure their families’ futures.The findings come as Iran faces mounting economic pressure amid the lingering conflict in the Middle East, a US naval blockade and stringent sanctions. With little clarity over when the standoff between Tehran and Washington will ease, concerns are growing over the impact of prolonged economic uncertainty on ordinary Iranians. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly warned that the pressure could continue indefinitely, while predicting further deterioration in Iran’s economy over the coming months, according to Al Jazeera.
Iranians advertise organs for sale
Iran International examined more than 600 advertisements posted on a Telegram channel between late May and late October. Its investigation found that approximately one in three advertisements offered more than one organ or type of body tissue.Kidneys were the most frequently advertised, featuring in 498 listings. Bone marrow appeared in 279 advertisements, followed by liver in 51, testicles in 15 and corneas in two. In 142 listings, sellers offered both kidneys and bone marrow, while another 26 advertised kidneys, bone marrow and liver together.Some advertisements also raised questions about whether sellers understood the medical procedures they were proposing. One man offering several body parts, including a testicle, told Iran International: “I can still live after losing these organs.” He appeared unaware that some of the procedures he was offering were not established transplant options in Iran.Interviews with prospective sellers revealed the financial desperation behind the listings. One man said he was willing to give up even vital organs to secure his young daughter’s future. Another, a former clothing business owner, said bankruptcy had left him with mounting debts and bounced cheques. He hoped selling an organ would help him repay at least some of his liabilities.Others described struggling with years of renting accommodation or simply trying to afford everyday necessities. A single mother raising two daughters said she was searching for a buyer to support her family’s basic expenses.
US economic pressure adds to Tehran’s challenges
The situation is unfolding as Washington reportedly shifts towards sustained economic pressure on Tehran after months of fighting and negotiations.According to Al Jazeera, Rubio told G7 counterparts in Paris that a naval blockade, stringent sanctions and disruptions to overland trade could remain in place without a clear end date.Tehran-based economist Isaac Saidian warned that if the economic siege pushes Iran’s oil revenues close to zero, the government could face one of the most difficult periods in its recent history. The challenge, he said, would extend beyond foreign currency shortages to paying salaries and pensions, supplying essential goods and preventing further inflation.President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration has prepared for the possibility of prolonged restrictions, although Iranian authorities have rejected suggestions of an impending economic collapse.Meanwhile, military tensions remain a concern. The IRGC has claimed responsibility for drone attacks targeting a US air defence radar installation in Bahrain, while Iranian forces have also reported oil tankers catching fire after striking naval mines around the Strait of Hormuz.