On November 11, Iran experienced a new wave of protests across various cities, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction among retirees, teachers, healthcare workers, and industrial employees facing economic hardship and alleged government neglect. Demonstrations erupted from Tehran to Abadan, with participants demanding improved living standards, overdue payments, and better work conditions.
In Tehran, retired teachers from various regions gathered at the Plan and Budget Organization for the second day, pressing for overdue bonuses and better pensions. Protesters chanted “Where is justice?” and marched toward the Presidential Office when their calls for improved benefits went unanswered. The previous day, they had demonstrated outside the Ministry of Education, calling for the resignation of what they labeled an “incompetent minister.”
Retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) also held protests in multiple cities, including Hamedan (western Iran), Ilam, Kermanshah (western Iran), Esfahan (central Iran), Sanandaj (Kurdistan region), Tabriz (northwest), Rasht (Gilan province), and Borujerd (Lorestan province). These demonstrations targeted the Setad Ejraie Farman Emam (EIKO) and IRGC Cooperative Foundation, major TCI stakeholders. Protesters shouted, “Oppressive shareholders have taken what is ours,” reflecting growing anger toward government-backed entities. In addition, retirees in Urmia (northwest) and Zanjan voiced grievances over stagnant pensions amid rising living costs.
November 11—Tehran, Iran
Retired teachers from different cities rally in Tehran to continue protests, demanding the payment of overdue bonuses and better pension policies.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/zO8J4C0ybw— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 11, 2024
In Yazd (central Iran), people with disabilities held a protest outside the Welfare Organization, demanding action on their economic hardships and the implementation of Article 27 of the Law for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Protesters emphasized that their financial and social struggles have worsened as authorities fail to honor legal commitments meant to support the disabled community’s welfare and rights.
In the southwest city of Abadan, workers from Abadan Petrochemical held a strike outside the governorate, demanding fair contract terms and improved working conditions. Similar labor protests took place in Mashhad (northeast), where taxi drivers gathered outside the governorate for better employment terms. In Fasa (southern Iran), medical emergency workers held a rally to decry unsafe work environments and limited support.
November 11—Urmia, northwest Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the Telecommunications Company of Iran rally to protest low pensions and poor living conditions.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/vqU4mtB7XR— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 11, 2024
These demonstrations are not the first of their kind. In recent months, similar gatherings have become more frequent as Iran’s retirees and workforce face mounting inflation and declining purchasing power. Despite previous promises from officials, protestors claim they continue to face economic neglect, fueling further unrest.
Parallel to these protests, reports from Evin Prison in Tehran highlight distressing conditions among political detainees. Kurdish political prisoner Varisha Moradi, recently sentenced to death by Judge Abolqasem Salavati for charges of “armed rebellion,” has been a focal point of resistance within the prison. Following Moradi’s sentence confirmation on November 10, other detainees reportedly chanted, “We will resist until the death penalty is abolished” and “Execution has no effect—freedom will never perish!” Moradi, who was initially detained near Sanandaj in August 2022, has reportedly faced multiple procedural violations and was denied the opportunity to present a defense through her lawyer.
November 11—Abadan, southwest Iran
Workers of Abadan Petrochemical in front of the governorate, striking in protest to work and contract conditions.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/6SS1b6dIbr— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) November 11, 2024
Moradi’s case follows a recent increase in executions of Kurdish political prisoners, a trend that has raised alarm among rights advocates. Kurdish prisoners Pakshan Azizi and others now face execution, with Kurdish prisoners in recent days openly protesting by engaging in hunger strikes. These actions underscore the growing resistance within Iran’s prison system, particularly among ethnic Kurdish detainees, where activists have pointed to increased state repression and procedural violations.
The current wave of protests reflects not only economic discontent but also a widening social divide. With Iranian authorities largely silent on the latest demonstrations, unrest is likely to continue as citizens rally across sectors for economic relief and justice in the face of worsening living conditions.
