Three difficult years have put a strain on many Iranian households, which have had to cut back on certain expenses to get by. Still, the resilience of Iran’s consumer-led economy is closely tied to the purchasing power of ordinary Iranians.
Iranian banks has been isolated from the global financial system for the better part of a decade. But that has not prevented development of the country’s banking system.
Iran is a big economy that has been largely overlooked by foreign investors. That combination of facts is exactly what makes it difficult to determine whether Iran should be considered a frontier or emerging market.
With a population of nearly 83 million, it should be no surprise that Iran has a large consumer market. But the role of consumers in the Iranian economy has often been overlooked given the perception that Iran’s economy is oil-led.