Iranians facing economic crisis find little New Year’s cheer

By The Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s bazaars are packed ahead of the Persian New Year next week. But there’s little holiday cheer as customers survey the soaring prices of meat and holiday treats, wondering if they can afford either. Others are there to sell goods on the sidewalks, forced into a new and degrading side business to make ends meet. Crippling Western sanctions, on top of decades of economic mismanagement, have plunged the country into a severe crisis. The Iranian currency recently dropped to a record low. Months of antigovernment protests failed to unseat the ruling clerics and prompted a violent crackdown. That’s also dashed hopes of any return to the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which had lifted sanctions.