As the Iranian Rial loses its value against foreign currencies, the costs of services and commodities become cheaper for citizens of neigbouring countries such as Iraq and Azerbaijan, sparking a huge increase in the number of visitors to Iran, particularly for medical purposes.

The value of Azerbaijani Manat has reached above 60,000 Rials, instigating more Azerbaijanis to visit their cheaper southern neighbor.

The Manat value was half the current price just last month and as a result, according to the reports from border crossings between Iran and Azerbaijan, a huge number of people from the northern country are pouring into Iran as the costs of commodities and services are much lower in Iran now compared to their own country.

The Iranian port city of Astara on the border with Azerbaijan, is one of the most important cities in the supply and demand of the Azeri Manat, US dollars and euros and a large amount of Manat and other foreign currencies change hands in the city every day.