Continuation of Livelihood Protests with Retirees Gathering in Kermanshah and Municipality Workers in Tehran

Livelihood protests in Iran continued on Tuesday, December 26, with gatherings of retirees in Kermanshah, municipality workers in Tehran, and a strike by steel industry workers in Ahvaz. According to reports received by VOA and published on social media, a group of retirees and pensioners gathered on Tuesday in front of the National Retirement Fund building in Kermanshah. The protesting retirees chanted slogans including 'National, Military, Social Security, Unity, Unity,' calling for the unification of livelihood protests. Simultaneously, a number of Tehran municipality workers gathered in front of the central municipality building in the capital. These protesters, chanting 'Mayor, come down,' demanded accountability from Alireza Zakani, the mayor of Tehran. According to news sources, the municipality workers' protests were due to delays in the payment of salaries and benefits since October 2022 and livelihood problems. The delay in the payment of salaries comes amid recent revelations of embezzlement and financial corruption in the institutions of the Islamic Republic, with a member of the Tehran City Council stating that it is unclear where the amount of '17 trillion tomans' from the capital's municipality budget has gone. Concurrently with the livelihood protests of retirees and municipality workers, news sources reported the continuation of the strike at the 'National Steel Group of Iran' factory in Ahvaz for the fourth consecutive day. Economist Reza Ghorashi had previously told VOA that, considering the 2024 budget bill of the Islamic Republic government, the livelihood situation of the Iranian people would worsen.