Protests by various groups of people continue to expand. On Sunday, January 19, different groups of Iranians, including social security pensioners, steel retirees, and others, gathered in various cities to protest poor economic conditions and neglect of their demands. These protests reflect the growing public discontent with the government.
Ahvaz: Steel retirees, after holding a protest march, gathered in front of the governor’s office, chanting slogans such as “Our problem is livelihood and healthcare.”
Tehran: Steel and mining retirees, along with teacher and teaching assistant exam candidates, gathered in protest. Demonstrators chanted slogans against IRGC commanders and demanded reforms in assessments.
Iranian Regime Security Forces Attack Protesting Steel Industry Retirees
Teacher exam candidates protested against biased and unfair evaluations for teaching positions. During their protest, they chanted, “False promises no longer work.”
Kermanshah: Social security retirees demanded the release of imprisoned workers and an increase in wages.
They also held placards reading “Wage suppression is life suppression,” protesting government policies on wages and livelihoods. Protesters chanted:
Plundering the people’s pockets, under the slogan of justice,
Enough with the warmongering, our tables are empty,
Workers, retirees, unite!
Gathering, protesting is our unalienable right!
Inflation, high prices, no to war and destruction!
Kerman: Mining, steel, and coal retirees gathered to protest unfulfilled promises and economic pressures.
Isfahan: Steel retirees demanded attention to their rights, chanting, “Don’t say there’s no budget, we’re tired of these lies.”
Social security retirees from Haft Tappeh, Karkheh, and Shush protested government failure to fulfill its promises, chanting:
They looted social security, left us destitute,
High prices and inflation are destroying people’s lives,
Devastating inflation rules the market,
Our rights can only be claimed in the streets,
Retiree, shout and demand your rights.
Fars: Regional power station operators protested pay discrimination and demanded fair wages. Contractual operators from regional power stations in Fars protested against the stark disparity in wages and benefits, while their share of wages is overlooked. They declared in their protest, “Don’t cut our wages!”
Demands of Protesters Across the Country
Protesters across the country demand improvement of living conditions and payment of overdue wages, fulfillment of government promises regarding wage increases and welfare services, reform of the evaluation and recruitment system, and an end to corruption and the plundering of national resources.
