Alireza Aghayousefi: Iran is not far from a mental health emergency

Alireza Aghayousefi, head of the Islamic Republic's "Psychology and Counselling Organisation", warned on Sunday, 25 October 2026, that Iranian society is approaching an emergency in mental health and social harm. Asked how far Iran is from such a situation, he said he did not think the country was far from it.

According to Aghayousefi, the uncertainty of the "neither war nor peace" situation puts heavy pressure on people, because when needs and threats exist side by side, threats take priority. He said that continued uncertainty can lead to severe anxiety and, in the long run, to physical and mental exhaustion, and that its effects may surface one to two years later as depression, marital conflict and chronic physical pain.

From social normlessness to family violence

The head of the organisation said Iranian society is moving to some extent towards social normlessness and that rising pressures could lead to a higher age of marriage, the spread of addiction and more vulnerable families. He warned that the breakdown of families could lead to severe violence, including family killings, and that the longer prevention is delayed, the harder and costlier it will be to contain the consequences.

Aghayousefi also said psychological services are not covered by basic insurance and that many people cannot afford them. According to him, a plan to insure these services was submitted to the organisation's central council about four months ago but has not yet been approved.

A crisis made by the regime

The warning comes as annual inflation has reached 73.6 per cent and the rial has lost 35 per cent of its value since late June. Masoud Pezeshkian also called the "neither war nor peace" situation on 21 October the worst the Islamic Republic has faced and said it was desirable neither for them nor for the other side. On the same day as the warning, Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic's policy will not change, war or no war, a policy whose psychological and economic cost is paid by the people of Iran.

The head of the Islamic Republic's psychology organisation says Iranian society is not far from a mental health emergency.