Iran’s Kermanshah unemployment soars despite Iraq trade
Shafaq News/ Iran’s Kurdish-majority province of Kermanshah, bordering Iraq, recorded the highest unemployment rate in the country, according to data from the Iranian Statistical Center.
Despite its strategic position as a major corridor for cross-border trade, Kermanshah struggles with joblessness. The province’s unemployment rate reached 18.2% during the winter of the Iranian calendar year, well above the national average.
However, Kermanshah remains a critical hub for commerce with Iraq. It hosts multiple land crossings, including the heavily trafficked Sheikh Sula customs post.
Reza Nikrosh, head of the province’s Customs Oversight Authority, reported that exports through Sheikh Sula totaled $570.4 million and 682,843 tons between March 21, 2024, and March 20, 2025, marking a 54% increase in value and a 12% rise in volume compared to the previous year.
