Iranian Finance Minister Saeed Ali Madani-Zadeh stated, "Severe inflation and rising prices have brought enormous difficulties to the people, and the decline in purchasing power has placed great pressure on them." In recent weeks, Iran's inflation rate has reached a record high, primarily due to decades of Western sanctions and the US naval blockade. According to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the Iranian Finance Minister said measures are being taken in hopes of positive results, but he did not provide further details.