On August 18, 2025, Iran was swept by a wave of simultaneous protests that spanned multiple cities and critical economic sectors, painting a stark picture of a nation unified in its opposition to the ruling theocracy. From retirees in Kurdistan to oil workers in the Persian Gulf, the protests demonstrated a high level of coordination and a shared target: the systemic plunder and corruption emanating from the regime’s highest echelons.
These organized actions make it clear that the Iranian people’s grievances are not with any single government official but with the entire corrupt structure overseen by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The Retirees’ National Uprising: A Direct Challenge to the Regime’s Core
The day’s most geographically widespread protests were led by telecommunication retirees, who took to the streets in at least seven cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, Marivan, and Bijar. Having protested for weeks, their chants have evolved from economic demands to direct political condemnations of the regime itself.
August 18—Isfahan, central Iran
Retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran resume rallies, protesting low pensions and the government's lack of response to their demands.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/L7QfAYg3vP— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 18, 2025
In the capital, Tehran, retirees boldly refuted the regime’s long-standing propaganda, chanting, “Our enemy is right here; they lie and say it’s America.” Their slogans explicitly identified the sources of their suffering, naming entities controlled by the regime’s leadership: “Setad Ejraei [Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order] has devoured our rights.” Protesters in Kurdistan were equally direct, shouting, “Usurper shareholder, shame on you, shame on you!” They identified the IRGC’s Cooperative Foundation and Khamenei’s Setad Ejraei as the “main shareholders” responsible for looting their pensions. The persistence of these protesters was captured in their promise to return “more magnificently next week,” signaling an unwavering resolve.
August 18—Tehran, Iran
Protest by retirees of Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI), calling for higher pensions and basic services that the government has denied them.
"The enemy is right here, they lie that it's America," they chant#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/SQzH2qrC5u— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 18, 2025
Iran’s Economic Engine Grinds to a Halt: Oil and Petrochemical Workers Strike
Simultaneously, unrest struck the heart of Iran’s economy—the oil and gas sector. As part of their ongoing “Protest Mondays,” official oil workers held gatherings in numerous southern operational zones. Protests were reported at the Fajr-Jam gas refinery, the Pars Oil and Gas Company sites in Asaluyeh and Kangan, and multiple refineries within the South Pars complex. Their demands include the removal of oppressive salary caps and the full implementation of legally mandated payment articles.
Nearby, workers at the Razi Petrochemical complex continued their strike for the tenth consecutive day, protesting discriminatory wage policies. This sustained industrial action in the regime’s primary source of revenue highlights a critical vulnerability and exposes its inability to manage its most vital workforce.
August 18—Jam (Bushehr province), southern Iran
Employees of the Fajr Jam Gas Refinery resume protest rallies as authorities continue to ignore their demands for better working conditions and fair pay.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/pXf7Bippq8— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 18, 2025
A Society in Revolt: From Defrauded Citizens to Abandoned Workers
The protests extended well beyond organized labor, revealing a complete breakdown of the social contract. In Tehran, victims of the massive Hakim residential project fraud gathered to protest the judiciary’s failure to deliver justice. With over 1,300 plaintiffs, the case represents another example of state-sanctioned corruption where citizens’ life savings have vanished with no accountability.
Meanwhile, a group of transit fuel tanker drivers protested in front of the Road Maintenance Administration in Tehran. Hundreds of their trucks have been stranded at the Iraq border. This diplomatic and logistical failure has inflicted heavy financial losses on the drivers, who have been abandoned by a regime incapable of protecting its own citizens’ livelihoods.
August 18—Tehran, Iran
Fuel tanker drivers rally in front of the Road Administration to protest poor working conditions.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/5n2qLoSvJu— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 18, 2025
The Unmistakable Call for Change
The events of August 18 are a microcosm of the nationwide uprising simmering just below the surface in Iran. From defrauded families to unpaid retirees and striking oil workers, the message is uniform and clear: the ruling theocracy is illegitimate, corrupt, and the sole cause of the people’s suffering.
The Iranian people have unequivocally identified their enemy, and it is not a foreign power, but the clerical regime in Tehran. Their organized, persistent, and courageous protests are not merely pleas for reform but a fundamental rejection of the entire system. The international community must recognize this reality and stand with the people of Iran in their determined quest for freedom, democracy, and popular sovereignty.