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Iran Protests: Nationwide Demonstrations Highlight Economic Hardship and Oppression

Retired steelworkers in Tehran rallied to protest on January 21, 2025

A wave of protests swept across Iran as various social groups voiced their frustration over economic mismanagement, environmental degradation, and oppressive government policies. Demonstrations occurred in cities including Tehran, Karaj, Kerman, Arak, and Zahedan, reflecting the growing discontent nationwide.

In Tehran, retired employees from the Welfare Store rallied to demand unpaid experience bonuses, while steel and mining retirees protested inadequate pensions and lack of access to basic services. Their chants, including “We won’t stop until our demands are met!”, highlighted longstanding grievances with the regime’s failure to address pension adjustments.

In Kerman, southeast Iran, retirees from the Copper Fund demanded higher pensions and full implementation of past commitments, such as the 2023 equalization plan. Protesters held signs calling for “removal of salary caps” and better healthcare provisions.

Firefighters in Karaj, central Iran, gathered to protest salary reductions, reflecting the dire financial situation faced by many municipal employees. Their rally underscored systemic failures in compensating essential workers.

In Arak, central Iran, citizens held their sixth consecutive weekly protest against severe air pollution caused by mazut burning at the Shazand power plant. Marching through Amir Kabir walkway, protesters carried banners and chanted, “Incompetent officials, resign!” and “Clean air is our right!”. Their persistence highlights the regime’s negligence in addressing environmental and public health crises.

In Zahedan, southeast Iran, security forces demolished several homes in the impoverished Locho village, a region predominantly inhabited by the Baluch community. The destruction, carried out under the guise of “development projects,” sparked outrage. Critics condemned it as yet another example of systematic discrimination against minorities.

Separately, reports from Sardasht, western Iran, detailed the violent arrest of two citizens, Hassan Hassannejad, a 65-year-old farmer, and his 31-year-old son, Mohammad Amin Hassannejad, a beekeeper. The arrests, conducted in front of their family, remain unexplained, reflecting ongoing crackdowns on rural and minority communities.

In East Azerbaijan Province, telecom contract workers went on strike over unpaid wages, citing severe financial strain and empty dinner tables. Similarly, workers at the Chooka Wood and Paper Company in Gilan, northern Iran, staged their third protest in two weeks over unpaid salaries dating back to December 2024 and the lack of action on overdue retirements for 91 employees.

The surge in protests reflects broader dissatisfaction with the regime’s handling of the economy, environment, and human rights. Reports indicate over 1000 executions in the past year, as the regime increasingly uses capital punishment to instill fear and suppress dissent.

Protests across various sectors and regions reveal a unified cry for justice, equity, and accountability, as public dissatisfaction with the regime continues to grow. From economic grievances to environmental concerns and human rights violations, the protests underline the systemic failures of Iran’s ruling establishment.