Protests erupted across Iran on Monday, December 2, 2024, with demonstrations spanning several provinces as retirees, environmental activists, and laid-off workers took to the streets to voice grievances over economic hardship, environmental destruction, and government mismanagement. These widespread protests highlight the growing dissatisfaction among diverse segments of Iranian society.
In Isfahan, Isfahan Province (central Iran), retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) rallied to demand overdue pensions and essential rights. Protesters voiced their anger with chants such as, “Implement the regulations—our rightful demand!”
In Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province (western Iran), TCI retirees protested poor pensions and worsening living conditions, while participants in a separate demonstration blocked streets outside the Directorate of Roads and Urban Development. These individuals, part of the state-run Maskan Melli housing program, accused officials of failing to deliver promised homes, chanting, “Government full of claims, where are your promises?”
In Tehran, the country’s capital, retirees gathered outside the provincial TCI headquarters, denouncing unkept promises with chants like, “Shout, retirees! Demand your rights!”
In Rasht, Gilan Province (northern Iran), retirees protested against low pensions and government indifference. Demonstrators called for accountability, shouting, “We don’t want an indifferent minister!”
December 2—Rasht, northern Iran
Retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) resume rallies to protest low pensions and lack of response by the government.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/VYPEPB7Id2— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) December 2, 2024
In Urmia, West Azerbaijan Province (northwest Iran), TCI retirees demanded action from authorities, highlighting longstanding neglect of their basic demands.
In Bijar, Kurdistan Province (western Iran), retirees continued their protests, emphasizing the government’s ongoing failure to address their worsening economic plight.
In Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province (western Iran), protesters declared, “Neither parliament nor the government cares for the people,” as they demonstrated against the lack of action on their grievances.
In Zanjan, Zanjan Province (northwest Iran), TCI retirees staged a rally, calling for immediate implementation of welfare policies and overdue payments.
In Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province (northwest Iran), retirees rallied for increased pensions, highlighting the regime’s neglect of its own welfare commitments.
In Shiraz, Fars Province (southern Iran), retirees continued their protest over unfulfilled promises and deteriorating living standards.
December 2—Tehran, Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the Telecommunications Company of Iran rally in front of the provincial headquarters of TCI to protest low pensions and poor living conditions.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/AwfBCmAMSc— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) December 2, 2024
In Broujerd, Lorestan Province (western Iran), TCI retirees organized demonstrations against economic mismanagement, adding their voices to the nationwide unrest.
In Hamedan, Hamedan Province (western Iran), similar protests were held, with retirees emphasizing their frustration with delayed pension payments.
In Marivan, Kurdistan Province (western Iran), retirees joined the wave of protests, highlighting their grievances against government inaction.
In Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh, Gilan Province (northern Iran), residents protested the establishment of garbage-burning facilities, decrying the environmental damage and public health risks.
December 2—Shiraz, southern Iran
Retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) resume protest rallies for better living conditions. #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/83ilqvoAjJ— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) December 2, 2024
In Yasuj, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province (southwest Iran), students and environmental activists protested the construction of dams, including “Mandegan” and “Khersan 3,” which they claim threaten the protected Dena ecosystem. One activist warned, “This project will not only steal our water but will also dry up our roots.” Local academic Shirali Khoramin called the dams “a direct path to the destruction of the region’s biodiversity.”
In Ilam, Ilam Province (western Iran), laid-off workers from the Arghavan Petrochemical Company protested alongside their families outside the provincial governor’s office. They demanded urgent action to address their financial struggles caused by sudden layoffs.
The protesters in multiple cities also targeted entities like the “Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order Headquarters” and “Cooperation Foundation of the IRGC,” which own significant stakes in TCI. Demonstrators accused these organizations of corruption and mismanagement, chanting, “Imam’s Headquarters stole telecommunications,” and, “Today, not tomorrow—solve our problems!”
These months-long protests illustrate the mounting pressure on Iran’s regime to address its citizens’ economic and environmental grievances. From retirees demanding justice to environmentalists opposing destructive policies, the demonstrations reflect a population increasingly unwilling to accept systemic neglect and mismanagement.
