Continuing the wave of labor protests across Iran, on Sunday, May 11, dozens of rallies and protest marches were held in various cities. The participants expressed deep dissatisfaction with their living conditions and the ongoing neglect of their demands.
In Ahvaz, retirees covered by the Social Security Organization voiced their protest against economic hardship, inflation, and the regime’s failure to respond to their demands. One retiree said: “We’ve come out in 50-degree heat to say we can’t go on anymore. They have forgotten us.”
In Tehran, Social Security retirees gathered outside the organization’s headquarters and chanted:
“We won’t rest until we get our rights”
“Retirees awake and fed up with empty promises”
During the protest, when a security officer began filming the faces of demonstrators, retirees responded boldly and fearlessly, shouting:
“Film all you want! We’re not afraid!”
In Neshat, Isfahan, hundreds of retired steel and mining workers gathered to protest delays in wages and healthcare services. They chanted slogans such as:
“We want nothing but our rights, we don’t want state charity”
“What has become of this wealthy country?”
Social Security retirees in Kermanshah protested in front of the Social Security office, chanting:
“Claiming justice—shame, shame!”
“Solidarity, unity—the remedy to oppression and tyranny”
Retirees in Shush also demonstrated, protesting their deteriorating living conditions.
Bakers in Andimeshk protested outside the governor’s office over the worsening economic situation. One baker said: “The baker is losing his bread, and so are the people at their tables.”
On Saturday, May 10, students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences went on a hunger strike in protest against poor food quality and substandard living conditions. They demanded immediate improvements in university catering services.
Dump truck drivers in Rostamabad, Gilan, staged a strike and protest for the second consecutive day over low transportation fares.
On Sunday, May 11, textile industry workers in Yazd gathered outside the governor’s office to protest the frequent power outages disrupting their work.
Social Security retirees in Shush, Haft-Tappeh, Karkheh, and other parts of Khuzestan held protest marches rejecting poverty, high prices, and corruption. Chants such as “From Khuzestan to Gilan, shame on these officials” and “What happened to this wealthy country?” reflected the public’s outrage over government mismanagement and looting.
In the Kheirabad Industrial Town near Arak, factory owners blocked the town’s entrance in protest against power outages and the resulting damages. They asked, “How can a country with vast energy resources keep its industries in crisis?”
These nationwide protests not only reflect the depth of Iran’s economic and social crises but also serve as an open call to the public for uprising and revolt.
