Iranian filmmaker puts kidney up for sale in sign of dire times

An independent Iranian filmmaker announced his intention to sell a kidney citing financial hardship, in a sign that Iran's faltering economy is pushing even middle class professionals toward desperate measures.

"I, Vahid Vakilifar, an independent filmmaker, 43 years old, blood type B negative, have decided to sell one of my kidneys due to my financial situation. Please send your offers to the following email address," he wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Iranians are struggling with high prices, sanctions and a crippling exchange rate.

The news prompted the Independent Filmmakers Association of Iran to issue a statement criticising the Iranian government. They linked Vakilifar's act to the state's repressive policies and highlighted the dire financial conditions faced by independent artists in the country.

"(It's) a shocking and painful act against a filmmaker half of whose works remain unreleased," the Association said. "Cinema authorities in Iran...impose increasing restrictions rather than improving conditions for filmmakers."

The incident is not an isolated phenomenon. Reports of young Iranians, particularly those in their 20s, selling their organs to make ends meet have been on the rise.

According to a report by Iranian economic outlet Tejarat News in March, being a young donor is regarded as an advantage, with young sellers referring in the advertisements to their age and athleticism as their strong points.

Most of the advertisements in the organ market are for kidneys, with each kidney fetching a price in Iran’s organ market between 3 to 6 billion rials (about 4,000 to $10,000).

According to Iranian regulations, kidney donors receive 800 million rials (around $1,300) as a "reward." However, the transaction is framed as a series of "agreements" between donors and recipients outside official mechanisms, allowing donors to gain additional financial benefits.

The high cost of living in Iran, coupled with inflation and unemployment, has pushed many into poverty.