There was a quiet revolution in Iran’s espresso tradition over the previous few years. In a rustic that traditionally favoured tea, specialty espresso has emerged as a formidable cultural power.
Regardless of enduring among the world’s hardest sanctions, harming financial development, an rising variety of third wave cafés have appeared throughout cities like Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz in recent times.
However these espresso outlets aren’t imitating Western espresso developments; they’re growing a distinctly Iranian strategy to specialty espresso, incorporating native flavours and traditions whereas sustaining rigorous requirements for high quality and preparation.
To study extra about Iran’s rising espresso tradition, I spoke with Mahsa Niyayesh, founding father of the Iranian Girls’s Espresso Affiliation; Kazem Saeidi, roaster and high quality supervisor at Expertise Espresso Roastery; and Omid Dadashi, head educator and high quality assurance supervisor at Mon Espresso Institute.
You might also like our article on espresso tradition in Iran.
Espresso’s early beginnings in Iran
With its historic commerce hyperlinks to China and the Silk Highway, Iran is a predominantly tea-drinking nation. However espresso has additionally been a prevalent a part of its tradition for hundreds of years.
“The well-known Iranian thinker Avicenna (Ibn Sina) wrote completely about espresso in his e book over a thousand years in the past,” says Omid Dadashi, the top educator and high quality assurance supervisor at Mon Espresso Institute, a specialty espresso roaster and training centre in Hamedan, Iran. “He used the phrase ‘buno’ for espresso because it was the frequent title for the beverage at the moment. Avicenna reportedly used espresso to deal with melancholy.”
In line with legend, through the Safavid period, one in all Iran’s most important ruling dynasties, which reigned from 1501 to 1736, Shah Abbas was among the many first to introduce espresso to the nation.
Throughout this era, espresso was thought to be a luxurious drink and held a particular standing within the Safavid courtroom, the place it was solely served to noblemen at official conferences and elite gatherings. Progressively, coffeehouses, generally known as qahveh-khaneh in Persian or Farsi, have been established and have become in style among the many individuals through the reign of Shah Tahmasp. These coffeehouses proliferated in main Iranian cities, similar to Isfahan, Tabriz, and Shiraz.
Espresso tradition grows
Whereas tea remained the drink of selection in each house, espresso was thought-about a luxurious reasonably priced solely to the few. Right now, tea nonetheless performs a central function in Iranian tradition, symbolising hospitality, however espresso is turning into more and more in style, particularly amongst youthful shoppers. Between 2008 and 2010, home espresso consumption per capita elevated by a formidable 1,100%. Equally, between 2018 and 2019, it grew by a fifth.
Cafés have develop into the brand new areas for social gatherings, work, and research, significantly for millennial and Gen Z shoppers.
“Espresso in Iran has remodeled from a easy drink right into a social expertise,” says Kazem Saeidi, roaster and high quality supervisor at Expertise Espresso Roastery in Isfahan, Iran. “Alongside cafés, native roasteries have performed a key function in increasing this tradition.”
A burgeoning espresso market
Information from the Observatory of Financial Complexity reveals that Iran imported US $43.9 million in espresso in 2023, making it the 73rd largest importer of espresso on the planet.
In April 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration introduced that 49,000 tonnes of espresso valued at US $148 million have been imported into the nation between March 2023 and March 2024. About 95% of this imported espresso got here from the UAE, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Uganda.
The specialty espresso scene in Iran can be rising, because of passionate and devoted roasters and cafés.
“There may be numerous potential for specialty espresso in Iran as shoppers demand higher high quality. We now have many proficient baristas, roasters, and cuppers who take part in annual nationwide competitions,” Omid says. “We even have researchers who’re captivated with espresso science. They create and distribute merchandise like sensory kits, espresso machines, and roasters.”
Regardless of challenges similar to excessive import taxes and worldwide sanctions, the variety of specialty espresso roasters and low outlets in Iran is proliferating, serving to drive shopper demand for higher-quality espresso. These companies had a noticeable presence on the 2025 World of Espresso Dubai occasion, for example.
“For the reason that ban on roasted espresso imports to Iran, native roasteries have made important progress within the specialty espresso sector,” says Kazem.
Navigating sanctions
The sanctions imposed by the US because the Seventies, and the EU extra not too long ago, have had a profound affect on Iran’s economic system. Aimed toward isolating the nation for its nuclear arms programme, the sanctions are seen as a method of forcing the federal government to the negotiating desk. The US has imposed an virtually whole financial embargo on Iran, which incorporates sanctions on firms doing enterprise with Iran, a ban on all Iranian-origin imports, and sanctions on Iranian monetary establishments.
For the reason that introduction of stricter measures in early 2018, Iran’s foreign money, the rial, has steadily devalued, shedding greater than half of its worth between 2019 and 2022 – making imports considerably costlier. In line with Iran’s statistical workplace, the nation’s annual inflation charge exceeded 42% in 2022.
Iran’s espresso business has additionally been impacted by the sanctions, which have restricted entry to specialty inexperienced espresso, trendy gear, and, most significantly, worldwide funds, making enterprise operations more and more difficult.
To keep away from incurring penalties, many worldwide espresso merchants now not work straight with Iranian roasters and cafés. As a substitute, they ship inexperienced espresso shipments to key buying and selling hubs, similar to Dubai or Turkey, first, which causes important delays in deliveries – impeding freshness and high quality.
“The sanctions power importers to search out new methods to import coffees and gear, making the method significantly tough for smaller importers and companies, as discovering respected firms that can adhere to their post-sale commitments has develop into fairly difficult,” Kazem says. “Nevertheless, there are nonetheless some well-established firms which have managed to keep up relationships and companies with Iranian firms and have remained dedicated to their agreements as effectively.”
Competitions
Whereas the Specialty Espresso Affiliation doesn’t have an unbiased ban on Iran, as a US-registered organisation, it should adjust to US sanctions and laws. To stick to US legislation, the SCA should limit its providers to these residing in sanctioned nations, together with Iran. This impacts Iranians’ entry to SCA providers, together with training programs and certifications, in addition to participation in SCA-supported occasions and competitions.
“In 2017, the Specialty Espresso Affiliation of America and the Specialty Espresso Affiliation of Europe merged to create a single world affiliation within the specialty espresso business,” says Mahsa Niyayesh, the founding father of the Iranian Girls’s Espresso Affiliation, the primary of its form within the nation. The affiliation helps Iranian ladies working within the espresso and hospitality industries, serving to them face systemic challenges.
“After the merger of those two associations, all legitimate SCA certifications of Iranian licensed instructors obtained earlier than the merger have been made invalid,” she provides.
Regardless of having no official entry to SCA programs and championships, espresso competitions in Iran have skilled important development and are met with nice enthusiasm. A number of competitions recurrently happen; in 2024, the nation hosted its first syphon brewing and cupping competitions, and the Iran AeroPress Championship is held yearly.
“Due to US sanctions, our espresso champions aren’t capable of showcase their expertise and expertise on the worldwide stage,” says Omid.
The Islamic Republic of Iran Barista Championship (IRIBC) is very in style, taking part in an important function in showcasing native expertise and fostering a aggressive spirit. The Iran Worldwide Espresso Competition (also referred to as Coffeexiran), which hosts among the nation’s espresso competitions, can be driving consciousness and the recognition of specialty espresso.
Iranian ladies in espresso
The espresso business is notably male-dominated throughout all ranges of the availability chain, however Iranian ladies have confronted important discrimination. As not too long ago as 2014, ladies within the nation weren’t permitted to work in espresso outlets.
Fortunately, ladies have regularly carved their very own house within the Iranian espresso business. They’re now actively concerned in all ranges, together with inexperienced espresso consumers, roasters, baristas, managers, and trainers.
Iranian ladies even have inspiring function fashions to look as much as. Laila Ghambari, the 2014 US Barista Champion of Iranian descent, has been an enormous inspiration for ladies at present constructing careers in espresso in Iran or aspiring to take action. Raha Shahsavar, the winner of the 2025 UAE Espresso Roasting Championship, has additionally served as a head choose in barista competitions in Iran, serving as a outstanding instance of what ladies can obtain.
The Iranian Girls’s Espresso Affiliation is a big improvement within the nation’s espresso sector, highlighting the rising function of ladies within the business. The affiliation was based by Mahsa with the first aim of making a community and offering help for ladies concerned in all elements of the Iranian espresso business, together with baristas, roasters, trainers, and sellers.
It goals to deal with the challenges confronted by ladies within the business and promote their skilled development. Right now, the Iranian Girls’s Espresso Affiliation is an important organisation working to create a extra inclusive and equitable espresso business in Iran.
Extra progress to be made
Whereas there are extra Iranian ladies working in specialty espresso than ever earlier than, rising feminine illustration within the business stays a persistent problem. Reaching gender parity within the espresso business requires a concerted effort from everybody concerned.
Enhancing entry to training and mentorship will play an important function, as will establishing fairer and extra equitable hiring practices. In flip, the Iranian espresso business stands to achieve a wealth of data from together with the views and experiences of extra ladies.
Regardless of sanctions and different financial challenges, Iranian espresso professionals are serving to to help a burgeoning specialty espresso market. Though development is at present restricted, there’s ample room for innovation and development.
In time, as soon as financial situations enhance, we are able to hope to see Iranians concerned in worldwide espresso occasions and competitions.
Loved this? Then learn our article on why specialty espresso must see extra ladies in roasting.
Picture credit: Omid Dadashi, Kazem Saeidi
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