Iranian teachers and other educators across Iran took to the streets in over 100 cities on December 23 to protest the Iranian regime’s oppressive policies and the ‘teacher’s ranking’ bill that was hastily drafted by the Iranian parliament to appease the teachers’ previous demands.
Following the protests and demonstrations of teachers in more than 200 cities in recent weeks, on December 15, 2021, the clerical regime’s parliament drafted a bill entitled ‘teacher’s ranking’ which, even if implemented, would not have met the minimum demands of teachers. The teachers described the bill as a dagger to the ranking bill and vowed to continue their protests.
In Tehran, a large demonstration took place outside the Planning and Budget Organization, with other protests taking place outside of local Education Ministry offices in over 100 different cities across Iran, despite severe threats and repressive actions from the regime.
Protesters took to the streets chanting slogans such as, “We have heard too many promises, but no justice,” “Livelihood, dignity are our inalienable right,” and “teachers are awake, loathe discrimination.” Calls for the release of imprisoned teachers and political prisoners also rang out at the demonstrations.
Regime security forces charged at protesters in several cities, including Tehran, Mashhad, and Shiraz, in attempts to force them to disperse, but as the teachers resisted their suppression, the security forces soon retreated.
The concluding resolution of the teachers underscored that the teachers will not remain silent vis-à-vis so much injustice and oppression against teachers and educators. They demanded the unconditional release of all imprisoned teachers, the halt to summoning, interrogating, and fabricating cases in unjust courts against the teachers.
The President-elect of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi addressed the protesters and praised them for standing strong against the suppressive forces of the regime. She said, “The first lesson of the arisen teachers of Iran is to be free and courageous in the face of the mullahs’ oppression. The teachers’ movement will carry on until their demands are met. The protests manifest the determination of the Iranian people to overthrow the clerical regime, which is the main cause of oppression, corruption, poverty, unemployment, and poverty.”
In other news, strikes took place in the cities of Sanandaj, Naqadeh, and Bukan, as bazaar and shop owners refused to open their businesses in protest of the criminal execution of Haidar Ghorbani, a Kurdish political prisoner.
Despite widespread domestic and international calls, Haidar Ghorbani was executed in Sanandaj on December 19, 2021. Large groups of people gathered in front of Haidar Ghorbani’s house in Kamyaran to protest the brutal execution.
As the anger and frustrations aimed at the regime have increased further in recent weeks, the terrifying regime has resorted to intensifying its repressive measures and ramping up executions to retain its power and create an atmosphere of terror. In just the space of a month between November 22 and December 21, around 39 people have been executed by the regime.
The Iranian Resistance continues to reiterate its calls to international powers, and human rights officials to condemn the rising number of executions in Iran and to take urgent action to prevent any more political prisoners from being executed.
