Over the past 48 hours, a symphony of dissent has erupted across Iran, exposing the clerical regime’s profound and systemic failure to govern. From retirees in Tehran and factory workers in Ahvaz to university students in the capital and truck drivers on strike, the Iranian people are delivering a unified verdict: the system is illegitimate and broken beyond repair. These protests indicate a nationwide rejection of the corruption, incompetence, and repression that have become the hallmarks of the ruling theocracy.
1. The Pillars of Society Crumble: Workers and Retirees Demand Survival
The protests on September 27 and 28 were defined by the powerful presence of those who have spent their lives building the country, only to be abandoned by the state in their time of need. In a coordinated show of force, Steel and Social Security retirees took to the streets in Tehran, Isfahan, Ahvaz, and Gilan. Their chants of “Unity, unity against poverty and corruption” and “The suffering is enough, our tables are empty” cut through the regime’s propaganda, laying bare the harsh reality of life for millions.
September 28—Ahvaz, southwest Iran
Retirees of the Social Security Organization rally in front of the organization’s provincial headquarters, protesting unbearable living conditions, out-of-control inflation, and the violation of their rights.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/ZWxBIXHdpI— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 28, 2025
This outrage was echoed by the nation’s industrial workforce. In Ahvaz, workers from the Iran National Steel Industrial Group issued a direct and final ultimatum to Bank Melli, the state-owned institution they hold responsible for their plight. “Enough is enough!” their statement declared. “You have held the livelihoods of 12,000 families hostage with lies and delays… The game is over.”
Meanwhile, in Gonabad, workers at the Chini Taghdis factory held their second consecutive day of protests, demanding months of unpaid wages. Their message was simple and devastating: “Our tables are empty, but the officials’ promises remain on the table.” In Tehran, truck drivers also continued their second day of demonstrations outside the Ministry of Industry, protesting the systematic roadblocks and bureaucratic corruption preventing them from clearing their imported vehicles and earning a living.
September 28—Tehran, Iran
On the second day of their rallies, drivers gathered in front of the Ministry of Industry, protesting the non-clearance of imported trucks and the obstacles placed in the way of their work by regime authorities.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/2Cus2sJjJG— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 28, 2025
2. The Future Fights Back: Students and Professionals Confront a Corrupt System
The regime’s decay is perhaps most evident in its betrayal of the nation’s youth and educated class. At Khajeh Nasir University in Tehran, students staged a sit-in at the central building after administrators refused to address their concerns, condemning what they called the administration’s “money-centric” and discriminatory policies. In Isfahan, medical students took a stand by refusing to eat dormitory food, protesting years of “disastrous” quality and humiliating, unhygienic conditions.
This discontent extends to university professionals. Staff at the prestigious Sharif University protested their poor living conditions and benefits, while employees at Dezful University of Medical Sciences reported receiving vulgar and disrespectful responses from the university president when demanding months of unpaid overtime.
September 28—Tehran, Iran
Students at Khajeh Nasir University gathered in the lobby of the Vanak campus to protest numerous welfare and academic issues, including the administration’s money-driven and discriminatory policies.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/ew4HlQjvk3— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 28, 2025
The regime’s assault on meritocracy was on full display in front of the parliament, where applicants for teaching positions protested discriminatory hiring practices that favor marital status over qualifications. These demonstrations show a generation that sees no future for itself under a system built on cronyism and contempt for expertise.
3. A Crisis of Governance: From Daily Bread to Public Safety
The regime’s incompetence now permeates every aspect of daily life, pushing essential services to the brink of collapse. In Ahvaz, bakers protested outside the provincial governor’s office over unpaid subsidies, a failure that directly threatens the supply of the nation’s most basic food staple. In Qazvin, poultry sellers protested a flawed government regulation system; after they reopened, the price of chicken for ordinary citizens immediately jumped by 12.5%, from 120,000 to 135,000 tomans per kilogram. The public is paying the price for the state’s failures.
September 28—Ahvaz, southwest Iran
Bakers in Ahvaz gathered in front of the governor’s office to protest the non-payment of subsidies, which has created serious difficulties for their livelihood and work.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/amSNkon8Jq— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 28, 2025
When citizens demand accountability, the regime responds with either abandonment or violence. In Pardis, a town near Tehran, residents who have waited years for promised housing and basic facilities like a hospital were met with contempt. The CEO responsible for the project simply walked off the stage when confronted with their anger. In Hamedan, the regime’s true nature was revealed when security forces used pepper spray on residents, including women and children, who were peacefully protesting the non-transparent installation of a telecommunications tower.
The breadth and diversity of these simultaneous protests paint a clear picture of a nation united against a common oppressor. This is no longer just an economic crisis; it is a profound crisis of legitimacy. The regime has proven incapable of providing basic security, sustenance, or dignity to its people. From the factory floor to the university campus, Iranians are demonstrating with remarkable courage that they are finished with this system of corruption and tyranny.