On October 1, 2024, widespread protests and strikes occurred across Iran, with environmental activists and laborers in various industries rallying against the regime’s neglect of their demands. From Tehran to central Iran, citizens expressed their frustration with ongoing issues ranging from environmental degradation to labor rights violations.
In Tehran, environmental activists gathered in front of the City Council, continuing their protests against the destruction of green spaces in the capital. Under the pretext of construction, the activists demanded an immediate halt to the enclosure of public areas like Laleh Park and the cutting down of trees in Qeytarieh Park. This protest was the latest in a series of environmental demonstrations highlighting the regime’s disregard for the capital’s limited green spaces. Citizens and activists argue that the city’s rapid urbanization and poor environmental policies are accelerating the ecological decline in Tehran.
Meanwhile, in Bushehr, Southern Iran, workers from the South Pars Gas Refinery staged their ninth consecutive weekly protest, demanding improvements in working conditions and the reinstatement of their dismissed co-workers. The workers also called for the implementation of job classification plans for contractual workers and more equitable pay. The ongoing labor unrest in southern Iran’s vital gas and oil sectors reflects broader frustrations with economic mismanagement and poor labor conditions.
October 1—Tehran, Iran
Environment activists hold protest rally in front of the city council, demanding a stop to the destruction of the city's green spaces.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/2ixZi0yROy— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 1, 2024
In Mehr County, Fars Province, Southern Iran, workers from the Parsian Gas Refinery held protests, voicing similar demands regarding wages and workplace conditions. As a critical part of Iran’s energy infrastructure, the persistent strikes in the oil and gas sectors point to the regime’s inability to address the grievances of its workforce.
In Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province, Northwest Iran, employees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) held a protest demanding higher wages and job security. The employees expressed frustration with the government’s failure to adjust wages in accordance with the rising cost of living. This protest is part of a broader pattern of unrest among telecommunications workers across Iran.
Additionally, in Ardakan, Yazd Province, Central Iran, employees of the Chadormalu Industrial Complex went on strike, adding another layer to the day’s labor unrest. The strike reflects growing frustration in central Iran’s industrial sector, where workers continue to grapple with low wages and poor working conditions.
October 1—Ardakan, central Iran
Strikes by employees of Chadormalu Industrial Complex.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/fzdBqOMq4N— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 1, 2024
Further escalating tensions, news emerged of the death of a 16-year-old Baluchi teenager who was shot by regime forces in Sasoli village, near Doost Mohammad, Hirmand County, on September 21. The teenager succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, September 29, intensifying anger in southeastern Iran, where the Baluch minority has long faced state violence and repression.
These protests and strikes across Iran highlight the growing dissatisfaction with the regime’s handling of environmental, labor, and human rights issues. The unrest reflects the rising tide of anger as citizens and workers from different sectors unite in their call for an end to the clerical dictatorship’s neglect of their rights and well-being.
