Continued Protests by Workers of National Industrial Steel Group in Ahvaz

Workers of the National Industrial Steel Group of Iran continued their protests on Thursday, gathering again in front of the Khuzestan Governor's office. According to the Free Workers Union of Iran, the protesting workers, who are demanding the payment of three months of overdue wages, held placards stating: "Who is responsible for the crisis in this large industrial complex in Ahvaz?" They also blamed the National Bank of Iran, the former owner of the National Industrial Steel Group, for the "livelihood crisis" faced by the workers. Previously, these workers had called for the dismissal of Abdolreza Mousavi, the private employer of this complex, and Gholamreza Shariati, the Governor of Khuzestan. The workers' gathering continued despite recent announcements from the owner of the complex and the Governor of Khuzestan that one month of the three months of overdue wages would be paid. In this regard, the Governor of Khuzestan stated on Wednesday that the owner of the National Industrial Steel Group had sent the wages for Azar (December) to Khuzestan and that the payments would be made to the workers' accounts soon. However, there has been no news regarding the actual deposit of wages into the workers' accounts. Meanwhile, the owner of the National Industrial Steel Group complained about their protests on his Instagram page, previously stating that "some ill-wishers" were inciting the workers both inside and outside the complex. The history of this complex dates back to 1967, when the Ahvaz steel factory was launched, which expanded after the 1979 revolution and was owned by the Amir Mansour Arya Investment Group until a major embezzlement scandal led to its temporary management being handed over to the judiciary and then to the National Bank, until ownership was transferred to Abdolreza Mousavi, the CEO of Zagros Airlines, in November of this year. Mr. Mousavi is also the owner of the Esteghlal Ahvaz football club, Daryush Hotel in Kish, and the Kish Dolphin Park. In recent months, the non-payment of wages and benefits to workers in various regions of Iran has led to protests. Additionally, the Free Workers Union of Iran reported that workers, retirees, and construction workers in Urmia gathered on Thursday in protest against economic issues, including unpaid wages and pensions. Earlier, the workers of the Urmia steel factory, who have not received their wages for 12 months, had gathered in front of the West Azerbaijan Governor's office. Furthermore, according to ILNA news agency, a number of retirees from the Central Alborz coal mine in Mazandaran province gathered on Wednesday in front of the retirement affairs building of the Steel Fund in the region, stating that their pensions for Bahman (January) and Esfand (February) had not been paid and that the Steel Fund had created many problems regarding healthcare and welfare services for them. The protesters also demanded the implementation of a coordinated system and an increase in their pensions. The Free Workers Union of Iran reported that workers of the Barfab company in Shahr-e Kord gathered on Thursday in protest against several months of unpaid wages. Previously, the Workers' Rights Defenders Association had reported that 80 workers from the Gachsaran petrochemical company (Limoochi) protested against the non-payment of four months of wages from Tuesday to Thursday. According to this report, the management of this company blacklisted five workers and prevented their entry into the facility. Such actions have also occurred in several factories in Iran, where some dismissed workers returned to work following their colleagues' protests. In this context, the workers of the National Industrial Steel Group demanded the payment of three months of overdue wages, with empty tables of workers in front of the Khuzestan Governor's office stating, "They don't pay us, death to America." The leader of the Islamic Republic accused "enemies" of "inciting workers." Protests by hundreds of workers in Ahvaz, Takestan, and Tehran against unpaid wages continued. Hundreds of workers from the National Industrial Steel Group gathered in front of the Khuzestan Governor's office. Five months of demands from 1,400 fishermen in Golestan have gone unpaid. Workers at Hepco chanted, "Death to the worker - greetings to the oppressor" in protest against the Minister of Labor's promises.