Protests continued across Iran on April 6 as various social groups, from retirees to industrial workers, took to the streets in multiple cities to express their grievances over economic hardships, unfair dismissals, and systemic corruption. Despite the regime’s increasing efforts to silence dissent, demonstrations have surged across the country, signaling deepening social unrest.
Reports indicate widespread protests in Isfahan, Ahvaz, Shiraz, Kermanshah, Shush, Rasht, and Tehran. Among the most vocal were retirees of the Social Security Organization, who rallied in multiple cities, including Ahvaz and Rasht, to demand higher pensions and the release of jailed activists. Chanting “Retirees’ pensions are only enough for one week,” demonstrators highlighted their frustration with the regime’s failure to address their dire economic conditions.
In Isfahan, central Iran, retirees from the steel and mining industry resumed rallies to protest low pensions and inadequate access to basic services. The city has become a flashpoint of unrest, particularly due to years of unresolved water crises affecting local farmers. Even state-affiliated media, such as Farhikhtegan, expressed concern over escalating protests, describing the situation as “a wound that festers every year” and urging the state to address the crisis before it spirals further out of control.
April 6—Rasht, northern Iran
Retirees of the Social Security Organization rally in front of the organization's provincial office to protest low pensions and other problems with their livelihoods.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/yjeY31F9M5— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 6, 2025
Meanwhile, telecommunications workers in Shiraz, southern Iran, protested the unjust dismissal of several employees with over a decade of experience, while bakers in Kermanshah, western Iran, rallied against worsening economic conditions. Workers from the Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Company in Shush, southern Iran, also staged protests over inadequate water rations essential for sugarcane farming, highlighting the ongoing water mismanagement crisis that has plagued Iran’s southwest.
The Iranian regime’s crackdown on these protests has been relentless. Security forces have routinely arrested activists and labor leaders, particularly in Tehran and other restive areas. Protesters have reported facing intimidation and threats by local authorities, who aim to deter further demonstrations through harassment and imprisonment.
April 6—Shush, southwest Iran
Workers of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Company rally to protest low water rations for sugarcane fields.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/DdsQaFNwTZ— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 6, 2025
Iran’s economic decline continues unabated, with inflation skyrocketing and the cost of living becoming increasingly unsustainable for the average citizen. Economists predict a further 40 to 50 percent increase in medication prices in 2025, yet pensions and wages remain stagnant, deepening the suffering of millions of Iranians.
The regime’s attempts to project a façade of stability and normalcy are failing. In Tehran, workers from the telecommunications industry staged protests demanding better working conditions and job security. Reports suggest that their grievances have been largely ignored by authorities who are more focused on containing the unrest than addressing legitimate demands.
April 6—Ahvaz, southwest Iran
Retirees of the Social Security Organization resume rallies to protest low pensions and to demand the release of jailed activists.
"Retirees' pensions are only enough for one week," protesters chant#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/6ZbEPChvK6— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 6, 2025
On April 5, Qasem Hosseinzehi, an intelligence officer known as “Kasem Kur,” was killed by militants in Kerman. Hosseinzehi, linked to the IRGC and Ministry of Intelligence, was notorious for suppressing dissent in Sistan and Baluchestan. His death marks a significant blow to the regime’s security apparatus.
Meanwhile, in Zahedan, southeastern Iran, members of the PMOI’s Resistance Units marked the Persian New Year with anti-regime slogans, demonstrating that opposition to the clerical dictatorship remains strong despite Tehran’s brutal crackdown. Slogans such as “Death to the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Leader,” and “No to Shah, No to Mullahs, Yes to a Democratic Republic” were echoed throughout the region.
The ongoing protests across Iran reveal a populace that is increasingly disillusioned with the regime’s economic incompetence and systemic repression. The government’s strategy of deploying security forces to suppress dissent, rather than addressing the underlying grievances, only serves to exacerbate the unrest and make an imminent uprising inevitable.