Telecom Retirees Hold Protests in Tehran and 16 Other Cities
On September 21 and 22, 2026, nurses, telecommunications retirees, oil and gas industry workers, laid-off workers, and other deprived groups staged protests in various cities across Iran to demand their fundamental rights.
On Monday, September 21, telecommunications retirees held nationwide protests in Tehran and 16 other cities, including Karaj, Tabriz, Isfahan, Mashhad, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Hamadan, Ahvaz, Rasht, Khorramabad, Ilam, Urmia, Ardabil, Zanjan, Sanandaj, and Bijar. The retirees demanded the settlement of overdue payments, improved supplementary insurance coverage, and the adjustment of their pensions, which have been neglected for years.
On Tuesday, September 22, employees and nurses of the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences gathered in front of the university’s main building to protest the failure to equalize wages and the continued non-payment of their arrears. On the same day, customs clearance agents in Khorramshahr held a protest against monopolistic practices and newly imposed restrictions.
On Monday, employees working on offshore platforms for the Pars Oil and Gas Company in the South Pars region (Asaluyeh and Kangan) gathered to protest salary caps and the failure to pay their legal claims. Similarly, retirees of the Ahvaz Oil Fund held a demonstration regarding their outstanding demands, noting that their benefits for the year 2026 remain unpaid.
Also on Monday, a group of customs clearance agents and business owners active in the Khorramshahr customs zone protested against the monopoly in car imports. They demanded the removal of restrictive measures, the establishment of equal conditions for all economic actors, and an end to practices that stifle fair competition in the automotive market.
Furthermore, a group of bakers in Saveh protested against the reduction of flour quotas and the non-payment of bread subsidies. The protesters stated that given the sharp rise in production, energy, and operational costs, the reduction in quotas and subsidies has severely exacerbated their livelihood and professional difficulties.
In Tabriz, a group of victims of the so-called ‘Global’ financial case gathered to demand the recovery of their lost capital and called for the authorities to be held accountable.
On Sunday, September 20, laid-off workers from the Shadegan Steel Company, continuing their campaign for reinstatement, gathered alongside their families. Additionally, workers at Mine 3 of Gohar Zamin in Sirjan protested the mass dismissal of more than 115 of their colleagues.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
23 September 2026