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has reported citing Central Bank of Iran (CBI) data.
The CBI surveys the property market via its online residential sales system which logs sales on the national level. The severe devaluation of the rial together with soaring inflation in the past year and a half since the US reintroduced heavy sanctions against Tehran has wrought some havoc with Iran’s property market.
Also according to the official data, the total amount of residential unit transactions in the Iranian capital of 15.2mn people in Mehr reached 3,400, up 22.0% m/m and down 63.7% y/y.
District 1, consisting of uptown neighbourhoods, had an average price of IRR269.6mn per sqm, while District 2, also uptown, had an average price of IRR219.9mn per sqm.
At the other end of the scale is District 18. It appears to now be the cheapest area in Tehran with an average per sqm value of IRR55.2mn. District 19 was a little more expensive at IRR61.75mn.
The most sales in the cited calendar month were seen in moderately priced District 5, which accounted for 15.1% of all sales. It was followed by Districts 2 and 4 with 9.1% and 7.9% shares of sales, respectively.
9.1.9 ​Healthcare sector news
Swiss and US governments trial channel to deliver food and medicine to Iran
A humanitarian channel to deliver food and medicine to Iran has commenced trial operations, the Swiss and US governments said on January 30.
Swiss goods will be supplied to the Islamic Republic via the scheme with no danger of getting entangled in American sanctions.
The Swiss Humanitarian Trade Arrangement (SHTA) aims to ensure that Swiss-based exporters and trading companies in the food, pharmaceutical and medical sectors can utilise a secure payment channel with a Swiss bank through which payments for their exports to Iran are guaranteed, a government statement said.
Three shipments of cancer and transplant drugs have already been sent to Iran through this channel and the transaction was processed, US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook told a press briefing.
“It’s the first one, there will be more to come,” Hook said, according to Reuters. “We have created a very high standard of due diligence...It’s already met by one European company,” he added, noting that he has been talking with more companies interested in facilitating medicine and medical device shipments.
Food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies are exempt from the heavy sanctions imposed on Tehran after US President Donald Trump nearly two years ago unilaterally walked away from the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran over its nuclear development programme.
Such is the extent of the US measures, they have deterred several foreign banks from doing business with the Islamic Republic—including when it comes to humanitarian deals.
The project kicked off with an initial payment for a shipment to Iran of cancer drugs and drugs required for organ transplants worth €2.3mn, the governments said.
Geneva-based bank BCP and drugmaker Novartis took part in the pilot deal.
The humanitarian channel is expected to be fully operational within weeks.
46​ IRAN Country Report​ February 2020 www.intellinews.com