On the third anniversary of the 2022 uprising—sparked by the state killing of 22-year-old Mahsa (Jina) Amini—Iran witnessed a fresh wave of protests and strikes across multiple cities. From the restive towns of Kurdistan to the capital Tehran, and from vital oil fields to provincial centers, Iranians from all walks of life took to the streets against the clerical regime’s corruption, repression, and inefficiency. The government’s response—marked by violent crackdowns, military deployments, and widespread intimidation—underscored its deepening fear of its own people.
Kurdistan: The Epicenter of Defiance
The anniversary was preceded by bloodshed in Kurdistan. On September 15, plainclothes forces opened fire on villagers in Pir Omran, Saqqez, who were protesting the environmental destruction caused by a local gold mine. Twenty-two-year-old Mohammad Amin Rashidi was killed, and two others were wounded. Authorities withheld his body from the family and blocked access to hospitals for the injured.
Following the killing, the Saqqez Governor and the local IRGC commander personally pressured the victim’s relatives, forcing a secret nighttime burial. By denying the family the right to mourn publicly, the authorities sought to prevent Rashidi from becoming a symbol of resistance.
On September 16, shopkeepers and merchants in Saqqez—Amini’s hometown—and in Divandarreh launched a sweeping general strike, shutting down markets in an act of civil defiance. The regime responded by effectively militarizing Saqqez, sealing off roads, deploying IRGC troops around Aychi cemetery, where Amini is buried, and even patrolling the skies with helicopters to prevent mourners from reaching Amini’s grave.
Tehran and Karaj: Defiance in the Capital
That evening, defiance spread to Tehran. In the Sadeghieh (Ariashahr) district, protesters chanted the uprising’s central slogan—“Death to the dictator!”—while creating traffic jams to disrupt security forces. When plainclothes agents moved to disperse them, the crowd countered with chants of “Bisharaf, Bisharaf!” (“Dishonorable!”).
Other neighborhoods joined in: in Tehranpars, chants of “Death to Khamenei, damn Khomeini” rang out; in Jordan district, citizens voiced opposition from rooftops.
In Karaj, a powerful symbolic protest emerged. In Gohardasht, a lone woman stood atop a public trash bin and shouted: “You have turned Iran into a prison!”—a message that resonated far beyond the city.
Nationwide Echo: Protests Over Rights and Livelihood
Parallel to political protests, economic unrest has surged across Iran. Oil workers at the Aghajari Oil and Gas Production Company held rallies demanding the removal of restrictive salary caps, pension reforms, and the implementation of Article 10 of state employment law. Similar protests have also rocked the Pars Special Gas Complex and offshore oil platforms.
Teachers, retirees, and doctors joined the movement. In Kermanshah, retired teachers staged their seventh rally, chanting “Our pain is your pain, people join us!” One teacher summed up the despair: “We have become a collection of misfortunes and troubles: poverty, corruption, prostitution, unemployment, brain drain, land subsidence… I don’t know what’s left.”
In Fars Province, family doctors protested four months of unpaid wages, warning of an impending collapse of the healthcare system. These demonstrations followed earlier unrest on September 15, which saw protests by telecommunications retirees in five cities, medical residents in Tehran, and educators from the Literacy Movement demanding job security.
A Convergence of Political and Economic Outrage
The events of September 15 and 16 highlight the merging of political defiance with economic despair. From the killing of Rashidi in Saqqez to the unpaid doctors in Fars, and from chants in Tehran’s streets to symbolic acts in Karaj, a consistent message has emerged: the regime has failed its people at every level.
Unable to address grievances, the leadership in Tehran has resorted to force—deploying the IRGC to suppress protests, blocking cemeteries, and silencing grieving families. The reliance on brute repression is widely seen as a stark admission of illegitimacy.
The struggle for a free, democratic, and prosperous Iran continues, fueled by the memory of martyrs and the daily fight for survival. Despite the regime’s heavy-handed suppression, the protests signal that its foundations are increasingly unstable.
