Protests scheduled for this month in Iran: Union leader

Iran Focus: Tehran, Dec. 27 – The head of the Iranian Nurses Union said Iran’s nurses would stage nationwide protests on January 18, 2005, if the authorities continue to ignore their demands. Mohammad Sharafi Moghadam reiterated that the authorities have thus far refused to issue permission for a rally and therefore a protest had been organised instead. Iran Focus

Tehran, Dec. 27 – The head of the Iranian Nurses Union said Iran’s nurses would stage nationwide protests on January 18, 2005, if the authorities continue to ignore their demands.

Mohammad Sharafi Moghadam reiterated that the authorities have thus far refused to issue permission for a rally and therefore a protest had been organised instead.

He stated, “The only way nurses can get their voices heard is through demonstrations”. He added that authorities had repeatedly blocked requests for peaceful protests by Iran’s nurses.

He said however that officials did not respond to their demands following a demonstration they held last week, adding that nurses wanted urgent resolution of their problems.

In October, Moghadam accused the administrative directorate for the country’s nurses as one that was “run by a corrupt mafia” and could not manage or function in an acceptable manner.

“The authorities have disregarded our legitimate demands. If they continue to ignore our calls they will force us to change our legal approach and we will seek solutions outside the law to have our demands realized”, he added.

For the past ten months, nurses have been asking that the Iranian government heed their demands.

“It seems that negotiations have hit a dead-end and the only way left forward is for nurses to go on a general strike”, Moghadam said.