Iran Focus
London, 22 Aug – A protest rally in front of majlis (Iran’s parliament) in Tehran, was held on Tuesday, August 22, in which many retired teachers and other government pensioners attended, the local media reported.
Hundreds of protesters were present in today’s demonstration, several workers’ syndicates and unions stated.
Iran’s semi-official Labor News Agency, ILNA, quoted the protesters as saying, “Higher retirement pension and increasing the level of insurance amenities are our main demands and the authorities should support retirees and pensioners.”
Today’s protest assembly, according to Iran’s official state News Agency, IRNA, was organized by military retirees who were protesting against ignoring the implementation of a law approved by parliament that requires matching the salary of military pensioners with the income of active personnel.
“The law has been passed by the parliament but it has not yet been implemented, while what the pensioners are paid is significantly less than the amount current employees are paid,” IRNA cited one of the protesters as lamenting.
Based on the same report, the protesters demanded the parliament to step in and act to insure the implementation of matching salaries’ law.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Free Labor Union says, “There were nearly one thousand protesters present at today’s rally in front of the parliament.”
Hundreds of currently working teachers and workers were also there to support the retirees, the union reported.
The pictures of the rally that were widely published in social media, show angry protesters carrying banners, notifying, “Poverty line, 40 million rials ($1210), Our income, ten million rials (roughly $300)”, “As long as we are under the poverty line, we will not stop demanding”, and also “No, to any bargain till we achieve our true rights”
The protesters ended their two-hour rally at noon, local time, chanting, “It’s not Over, We’ll be back”.
Iran 22 August 2017: Hundreds of retirees protest outside regime’s parliament
