On August 25, 2025, a powerful wave of protests swept across Iran, revealing the profound depth of public anger and the systemic failures of the ruling theocracy. From the country’s vital oil fields to its parched farmlands and the streets of the capital, diverse sectors of society staged coordinated demonstrations.
These were not isolated grievances but a unified cry against the corruption, economic ruin, and political oppression that define the regime. The events of this single day illustrate that the administration of Masoud Pezeshkian, like its predecessors, is fundamentally incapable of addressing the deep-seated crises fueling a nation’s fury.
Oil Workers Demand an End to “Modern Slavery”
In the heart of Iran’s oil industry, discontent has reached a boiling point. In Gachsaran, workers and employees of the state oil and gas company held a massive rally and protest march, demanding the complete elimination of corrupt subcontractor companies. They declared that the current system, which enriches regime-affiliated middlemen while suppressing wages and rights, is nothing short of “modern slavery.”
More footage of the protest by contract workers at Gachsaran Oil and Gas Company.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/vqQGO85b8Y
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 25, 2025
Hundreds of miles away in Ahvaz, security personnel at the critical Yadavaran oil field went on strike. Braving scorching temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, they gathered outside the Khuzestan provincial governor’s office to protest their abysmal wages. The workers, many with years of service, explained that their contracting company receives substantial funds from the national oil company but pays them only a minimum wage, trapping them in poverty while protecting regime insiders.
Retirees’ Pensions Can’t Cover Empty Tables
Simultaneously, the generation that built the country cried out against neglect and broken promises. In Tehran, retired staff from Farhangian University gathered to protest the regime’s failure to implement a promised pension equalization law. Their chant—”Only on the streets can we get our rights”—underscored a complete loss of faith in official channels and promises.
August 25—Tehran, Iran
Protest rally by retired educators, demanding higher pensions and basic services that the government has denied to them.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/PWnn4BGYTr— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 25, 2025
In the city of Shush, Social Security retirees echoed this anger with slogans that directly linked their economic plight to the regime’s oppressive nature. Their chants of, “Our tables are empty,” were coupled with explicitly political demands: “Imprisoned workers must be freed! Imprisoned retirees must be freed!”
Victims of Fraud Target the Regime’s Highest Echelons
The day’s most dramatic protests came from citizens defrauded by state-connected entities, who took their fight directly to the centers of power. In an act of defiance, victims of the “Golbaran” development company—a firm run by a retired Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) colonel—traveled from Dezful, Andimeshk, and Shush to Tehran. Donning symbolic funeral shrouds, they protested directly outside the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, signifying the death of justice and holding the regime’s highest authority responsible for their ruin.
August 25—Tehran, Iran
Creditors of the Hakim housing project, which turned out to be a major scam, resume protests in front of the Justice Ministry against corruption, stolen funds, and the government mafia meddling in their complaint dossier at the Judiciary.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/jUuHzRE28F— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 25, 2025
This was not an isolated case. In another part of Tehran, victims of the Hakim construction project accused the judiciary of protecting the well-connected perpetrators, including a relative of a senior official and an associate of former Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Together, these events paint a damning picture of a kleptocracy where the IRGC and judiciary operate a system of organized plunder with total impunity.
Farmers Rise Up Against Water Mismanagement
The regime’s incompetence has also pushed Iran’s agricultural heartlands to the brink. In Semnan province, farmers from Garmsar and Aradan strategically staged a protest outside the provincial governor’s office during a visit by the Interior Minister. They demanded their legal water rights from the Hableh-roud river, which have been diverted for regime-linked projects, threatening to destroy their lands and the livelihoods of thousands of families.
August 25—Semnan, northern Iran
Farmers of Garmsar and Aradan rally in front of the provincial governorate, demanding their water rights from the Hablehrood River, a critical water source for the region. These protests take place while the interior minister has traveled to the… pic.twitter.com/4HRjCFf7QY— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 25, 2025
The protests of August 25, 2025, are a powerful indicator of a regime losing its grip. The demonstrations were notable not only for their geographic and social breadth but also for their escalating boldness. Slogans now openly mix economic demands with calls for political freedoms.
Protesters are no longer afraid to target the highest symbols of the regime, including the office of the Supreme Leader. This convergence of grievances—from labor exploitation and corruption to resource mismanagement—reveals a society that sees the ruling theocracy as the single root cause of its suffering. These are not disparate cries for reform; they are the unified roar of a people demanding fundamental change and the reclamation of their country.