Iran has witnessed numerous protests, including gatherings by retirees from the steel and mining industries in various cities, as well as strikes by workers in the oil and gas sectors, driven by mounting economic hardships. Protesters chanted slogans such as “Enough with the wars… our tables are empty,” expressing their discontent with the Iranian regime’s domestic and foreign policies.
According to reports received by Voice of America and published on social media on Sunday, January 5, retirees from various industries and organizations gathered in multiple cities, including Isfahan, Rasht, Kermanshah, Ahvaz, Shush, and Bushehr.
In Rasht, retirees from the Social Security Organization protested against the neglect of their union rights and demands, chanting: “Screams, screams, against all this injustice.” In Kermanshah, protesters raised slogans such as “They looted the people’s pockets in the name of justice,” criticizing the regime’s unfulfilled promises.
Protesters also chanted, “Enough with the wars… our tables are empty,” rejecting the regime’s internal and external policies, which they argue have caused regional tensions and conflicts.
In Khuzestan Province, retirees from the steel industries organized a “silent march” to protest the government’s failure to implement wage adjustment laws. During the gathering, one retiree stated, “This protest is not to welcome officials but to express our anger.”
In Ahvaz, a group of retirees demonstrated with slogans such as “Forget the hijab, fight inflation,” criticizing the government’s focus on issues like hijab enforcement instead of addressing economic crises. In Shush County, retirees raised the slogan, “A retiree’s pension lasts only one week,” highlighting the severe decline in the Iranian currency’s value and soaring inflation.
In Isfahan, steel industry retirees held a protest march, carrying banners demanding their union rights. In Bushehr, retired teachers gathered outside the governor’s office to protest the non-payment of end-of-service benefits.
Simultaneously, workers from the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company gathered outside the Khuzestan Governor’s office, chanting, “A worker dies but does not accept humiliation.” Media outlets also reported a protest by employees of Iran Ofogh Company at the Yadavaran oil field, demanding the fulfillment of their union demands.
These protests come at a time when state media announced that the minimum monthly wage in Iran, which was approximately $113 at the start of the Iranian year 1403 (March 20, 2024), had dropped to around $88 by year’s end due to repeated currency exchange shocks.
These demonstrations reflect worsening living conditions in Iran and the government’s neglect of demands from various groups, including retirees, workers, teachers, victims of financial fraud, and healthcare sector employees.
In response, the Iranian government has intensified its security and judicial measures against activists and independent unions, with several activists currently imprisoned on charges of threatening national security.
