On Sunday, May 18, 2025, streets across numerous Iranian cities became arenas of public anger as diverse segments of the population voiced their profound discontent with the ruling establishment. From steel and mine retirees in Isfahan to bakers in Yasuj, and from victims of state-linked financial scams to pre-purchasers of domestically produced cars, a unified cry rose against what protesters termed the “structural oppression and corruption of Khamenei’s rule.” These widespread gatherings, marked by potent slogans, underscore a deepening crisis of legitimacy and the regime’s failure to address basic public needs.
Retirees Lead Demands for Basic Rights
May 18—Isfahan, central Iran
Retirees of the steel industry resume weekly protest rallies to reiterate demands for higher pensions and basic needs.
"Shout for your rights!" protesters chant.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/CvldsjNxkF— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 18, 2025
Pensioners from various sectors formed a significant contingent of the day’s protests. In Isfahan, central Iran, steel and mine retirees, whose hands are “calloused and hearts full of anger,” marched, demanding their legal rights and overdue payments. Their chants, such as “Retiree, shout out, cry out for your rights!” and the politically charged “Hossein, Hossein is their slogan, lies and theft are their jobs!” resonated through the city. These individuals, after a lifetime of labor, now face crippling inflation and poverty.
May 18—Kerman, southeast Iran
Retirees of the steel and mining industry resume rallies to protest low pensions and lack of access to basic services for decent living conditions, demanding better economic conditions and pension rights.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/BGYwELQvKT— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 18, 2025
Similar scenes unfolded elsewhere. In Karaj, northern Iran, retirees held a protest rally demanding the implementation of legal provisions and their outstanding claims. In Tehran, retirees from Social Security, civil service, and telecommunications gathered before the Social Security Organization, not only demanding legal dues but also chanting, “Esmail Gerami must be freed,” calling for the release of imprisoned retirees, teachers, and workers. Steel and mine retirees in Central Alborz and Kerman protested in front of the pension fund, demanding the implementation of an agreed-upon equalization plan and fair salaries, chanting, “Livelihood and dignity are our undeniable rights.”
May 18—Ahvaz, southwest Iran
Retirees from the public sector, social security and telecommunications protest economic hardship and low pensions. "Shout for your rights!" protesters chant.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/vS2mMSxLtG— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 18, 2025
In the sweltering heat of Ahvaz, Social Security retirees took to the streets with powerful slogans like, “They plundered Iran, made us miserable,” and “Our salaries are in rials, expenses are in dollars.” Retirees in Shush also gathered despite temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius.
Bakers and Defrauded Citizens Express Outrage
The protests were not limited to pensioners. In Yasuj, southwest Iran, bakers, pushed to the brink by soaring costs and the destruction of their livelihoods, gathered to demand genuine support. They cited subsidy cuts, the high price of flour and yeast, and power outages as critical issues.
May 18—Yasuj, southwest Iran
Protest by bakers against unpaid subsidies, high operational costs, low income, and other job-related difficulties.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/f6cH7W2dIC— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 18, 2025
Investors defrauded by the “Rezaayat Khodro Taravat Novin” carmaker also protested, facing violent suppression and scattered arrests by security forces. Similarly, in Tehran, victims of the fraudulent Azvico car company, who claim their investments were looted with the complicity of state bodies like the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade and the judiciary, protested outside the Economic Crimes Judicial Complex. Pre-sale buyers from Modiran Khodro also protested against exorbitant price hikes and lack of transparency.
May 18—Tehran, Iran
Protest rally by victims of a car purchase scam involving the company "Azvico," which defrauded thousands of customers in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade, and the judiciary.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/vscnU2kbpO— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 18, 2025
These protests occur against a backdrop of severe economic distress. Recent reports indicate a 40% surge in Iranian rice prices, with premium grades reaching 250,000 Tomans per kilogram. Imported medicine prices have risen by 10-30%, with some doubling. The desperation was starkly illustrated by the recent self-immolation of a 65-year-old man in Rasht, reportedly in protest against the seizure of his land by a regime judge.
The recurring slogans, “They plundered Iran, made us miserable,” and “Hossein, Hossein is their slogan, lies and theft are their jobs,” echoed by various groups, point to a public that clearly identifies systemic corruption and deceit as root causes of their suffering.
PMOI Resistance Units Defy Regime Repression
May 16—Zahedan, southeast Iran
PMOI Resistance Units in Zahedan condemn the regime's corruption and mismanagement of electricity and reiterate their commitment to regime change.#PMOI #ResistanceUnits pic.twitter.com/2w1prLrgsp— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 17, 2025
Adding to this climate of defiance, Resistance Units affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) undertook a bold campaign in Zahedan on Friday, May 16, 2025. Braving heavy surveillance by Basij forces and IRGC patrols, these units displayed placards and inscribed slogans on city walls. Their messages directly addressed the worsening living conditions, particularly recurring electricity blackouts, and the regime’s oppressive tactics. Slogans such as, “Cut electricity to the Basij, IRGC, and security forces—give it to the people,” and “2 trillion spent on nukes, yet we have no power, no water, no air,” directly challenged the regime’s priorities and its neglect of the populace. Other messages called for regime change, with statements like, “Khamenei’s only priority is preserving his regime; the answer is uprising and fire,” underscoring a determined opposition aiming for systemic transformation.
The simultaneous protests across different cities and sectors on May 18th, coupled with such organized acts of resistance, are not isolated incidents but rather potent indicators of deep-seated public discontent. They represent the tip of the iceberg of the accumulated grievances of the Iranian people. As the regime continues to prioritize its ideological and military expenditures over the welfare of its citizens, the widespread anger against its corruption and mismanagement is increasingly manifesting as a united national outcry for fundamental change.