A severe outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease is affecting livestock across several Iranian provinces, with some farms reporting mortality rates of up to 80% among breeding cattle, threatening the country's food security and dairy production.

The outbreak, caused by the SAT1 strain that spread from Africa, has affected Tehran, Alborz, Qom, Qazvin, Markazi and several northwestern provinces, state-linked Tasnim reported on November 25.

Iran maintains seven to 8mn head of heavy livestock. The outbreak threatens widespread bankruptcy among farmers who have invested their life savings in their herds with imports now having to make up the bulk of meat.

Reports from cattle farmers' unions indicate some large Tehran dairy farms have lost up to 80% of their breeding cattle, whilst calf mortality has reached 50% in affected herds. Milk production has declined by 80% in infected animals.

Of the 16mn vaccine doses needed for two rounds of vaccination across Iran's heavy livestock population, only a small quantity has been imported. Domestic vaccines are only effective against local strains and have no efficacy against SAT1.

Hossein Emami-Rad, a member of parliament representing Chenaran, Torqabeh-Shandiz and Golbahar constituencies, stated in a commentary that despite warnings from the (Iran) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health, Iranian authorities failed to respond appropriately.

The MP wrote that the crisis stems from multiple failures, including a lack of operational planning, inadequate communication with farmers, imports of live cattle from infected countries, delayed procurement of specialised vaccines, and weak border quarantine measures.

Emami-Rad outlined 10 urgent measures, including forming a special crisis headquarters with judiciary and law enforcement participation, immediately halting livestock imports from infected countries, securing effective vaccines through international channels, implementing strict biosecurity protocols, and allocating emergency budgets for vaccines and farmer compensation.

Before the decline of the Iranian rial, Iran experienced a significant drop in annual meat consumption in recent years. Current estimates indicate that per capita consumption of red meat is now between 7 to 9 kg per year, a steep decrease from previous averages of 18 kg, according to local sales data.

Combined estimates for all meat types (red meat, poultry, fish) put total per capita consumption around 34–36 kg per year as of 2024, mostly used for kebabs which are a national staple.

Iran's Health Ministry had earlier confirmed that foot-and-mouth disease affecting livestock cannot be transmitted to humans, and infected animal products will not enter the food chain due to strict veterinary oversight. The head of the Zoonotic Diseases Department at the Health Ministry Mohammad Zeinali stated that the disease is not a zoonotic illness and poses no risk to human health, ISNA reported on November 5.

The official explained that infected livestock products should not enter the food supply chain due to stringent veterinary controls.