On Sunday, August 9, retirees and pensioners in several Iranian cities held street protests against dire living conditions, rising prices and inflation, discrimination, the violation of their rights, and the Iranian regime officials’ disregard for their demands.
The protests were held in the cities of Shush, Dezful, Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Kermanshah. In addition to their labor and livelihood demands, protesters chanted against corruption and plunder, warmongering, executions, and the repression of prisoners.
Shush: Protest in Temperatures Above 50°C
In Shush, Social Security retirees gathered and held a protest march outside the city’s Social Security building. The gathering took place as temperatures in Khuzestan Province had risen above 50°C.
Continued Labor Protests: Telecommunications Retirees Rally in Various Iranian Cities
The retirees protested meager wages and pensions, rising prices and inflation, poverty, the depletion of people’s household food budgets, the state of healthcare services, and the commodification of healthcare and education. They also protested corruption, plunder, and the looting of public wealth, as well as the Iranian regime officials’ disregard for people’s plight, and challenged the regime’s warmongering policies.
Dezful: Gathering Outside Social Security Office and Parliament Member’s Office
In Dezful, a group of Social Security retirees gathered outside the Social Security building and the office of a member of the Majlis (parliament) to protest their livelihood problems and labor demands.
By gathering outside these offices, the protesters called for their demands to be addressed and for an end to their difficult living conditions.
Isfahan: Second Consecutive Day of Steel Retirees’ Protest
In Isfahan, a group of retirees and pensioners of the Steel Pension Fund gathered outside the fund’s building for the second consecutive day.
The protesters’ main demand was the full implementation of pension adjustments to bring payments into proportion. The continuation of the gathering for a second consecutive day reflects the Steel retirees’ ongoing protest over their wages and benefits.
Ahvaz: Protest Against Rising Prices, Corruption, and Warmongering
In Ahvaz, Social Security retirees and pensioners gathered outside the Social Security Organization building in Khuzestan Province. The protesters objected to government corruption, warmongering, the difficulty of making ends meet, and the violation of their rights.
One of the retirees’ main grievances was the four-month delay in implementing the salary increases for the Persian calendar months of Farvardin and Ordibehesht, corresponding to March 21–April 20 and April 21–May 21, respectively. They attended the gathering amid Khuzestan’s extreme heat and chanted against the policies of the Iranian regime.
Among the chants by the Ahvaz retirees were:
Imprisoned protesters, imprisoned workers, imprisoned teachers, must be freed!
Imprisoned teachers must be freed.
Imprisoned workers must be freed.
Kermanshah: Protest Against Inflation, War, and Executions
In Kermanshah, retirees also held a protest gathering. In addition to economic and livelihood problems, the chants addressed war, executions, human rights, the release of prisoners, and the need for solidarity against oppression and repression.
Sunday’s gatherings in several cities show that retirees’ protests in Iran have gone beyond purely labor-related demands and have become a platform for expressing widespread dissatisfaction with the economic situation, corruption, warmongering, executions, and repression.
Rising prices and inflation, declining purchasing power, healthcare problems, delays in payments and salary increases, and the incomplete implementation of the pension adjustment plan have been among the main issues driving these protests. Alongside these demands, chants were also heard against war and executions and in support of prisoners.
