which imparts a rich golden-yellow hue to dishes and textiles. Its quality is graded by the proportion of red stigma to yellow style, varying by region and affecting both potency and value. As of 2024, Iran produced some 90% of the world's saffron. At US$5,000 per kg or higher, saffron has long been the world's costliest spice by weight, for which it is often dubbed "red gold".

The English word saffron likely originates from the Old French