A fresh wave of simultaneous protests swept across Iran on August 19, 2025, exposing the profound and systemic failures of the ruling theocracy. From the industrial heartlands of the south to the capital and Kurdish cities, diverse sectors of Iranian society—including oil workers, retirees, and ordinary citizens—took to the streets in a unified display of dissent.
The protests are not isolated incidents but rather interconnected expressions of a national outcry against a regime that can no longer provide basic necessities, pay its workers, or offer its elderly a dignified life.
The People’s Rage Against Basic Service Failures: Blackouts Fueling the Fire
In the southern city of Lamerd, citizens gathered outside the local electricity department on August 19 to protest repeated, unplanned power outages amid scorching 50-degree Celsius heat. Residents reported that the constant blackouts have damaged their home appliances, adding to their severe economic burdens.
August 19—Lamerd (Fars Province), southern Iran
Locals hold protest rally as electricity outages continue regime authorities refrain from addressing the problem.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/KacoGT5BBU— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 19, 2025
The day before, on August 18, citizens in the Kurdish cities of Mahabad and Javanrud took their frustration to the streets, blocking roads to protest the crippling electricity shortages that have disrupted their lives and businesses. Protesters in both regions warned that their actions would continue if officials failed to provide an immediate and practical solution, demonstrating a growing public resolve to engage in civil disobedience.
Labor Unrest in Iran’s Economic Heartland: Workers Demand Their Dues
Simultaneously, Iran’s vital economic sectors were rocked by strikes and protests. In the petrochemical hub of Mahshahr on August 19, workers from the Razi Petrochemical plant continued a strike that has lasted for over a week, demanding the implementation of promised wage benefits. They were joined by the city’s municipal workers, who also walked off the job to protest their conditions.
August 19—Mahshahr, southwest Iran
10th day of strikes and protests by contract workers of the Razi Petrochemical company. The protesters demand fair wages and an end to discriminatory policies.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/zmSnlv4Ryk— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 19, 2025
The unrest extended to the country’s critical energy sector. In Kangan, 90 workers from the South Pars Phase 14 gas field gathered outside the governor’s office to voice their demands. Meanwhile, in the capital, imported truck drivers held a protest rally in front of the regime’s Ministry of Industry, signaling that the economic discontent has reached the very center of the regime’s power.
From Economic Survival to Political Freedom
Perhaps the most significant development on August 19 occurred in Kermanshah, where retirees from various sectors, including teachers and former telecommunication employees, held a major rally. Their initial grievances were rooted in severe economic hardship. They protested poverty-level pensions that, as they put it, “cover only one or two weeks of the month,” leaving their pockets empty. They also condemned the regime’s failure to implement wage equalization laws and provide adequate health insurance.
August 19—Kermanshah, western Iran
Retirees of the public sector, Social Security, telecommunications, and other sectors hold protest rally, demanding higher pensions, better living conditions, and the release of jailed activists and revocation of death sentences.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/N3eIIkHQaD— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 19, 2025
However, their protest quickly evolved beyond economic demands. In a courageous escalation, the retirees in Kermanshah began chanting slogans demanding the release of political prisoners and the revocation of death sentences of political prisoners. This powerful shift demonstrates a growing understanding among the Iranian people that their economic suffering is inextricably linked to the regime’s political repression. They are no longer just asking for bread; they are demanding freedom.
A Nation United, A Regime on the Brink
The protests of August 18 and 19 are a clear snapshot of contemporary Iran: a nation boiling with anger, united in its rejection of the ruling theocracy. The geographical spread and sectoral diversity of these protests—from workers in strategic industries to retirees and ordinary citizens—paint a picture of a regime that has lost all semblance of legitimacy. The common thread connecting every protest is the regime’s complete failure to govern. These continuous and escalating demonstrations send an unmistakable message: the people of Iran are not seeking minor reforms from a corrupt and incompetent system. Their unified voice demands regime change and the reclamation of their sovereignty.