Cultural Pensioners Gather in Shiraz; Rising Dollar Prices and a Retiree's Account of Buying Meat on Credit

As the price of one US dollar in the Iranian market has reached about 69,000 tomans, livelihood protests continue across various parts of the country. In one of the latest instances, a group of cultural pensioners gathered in Shiraz. According to video reports shared on social media, a group of retired teachers also protested on Thursday, November 3, in front of the office of a former member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, demanding attention to their occupational and livelihood grievances. The protestors chanted, 'We have heard many promises, but we have seen no action.' The ongoing protests by pensioners from various organizations, which occur weekly on different days, highlight the deepening economic issues. During previous protests, an angry retired man recounted, 'The butcher tells me, why don’t you go get a letter from the office? They give pensioners meat on credit. Shame on us that with a master's degree, we have to buy meat on credit. I would rather die than hear this.' The continuation of livelihood protests comes as the price of one US dollar fluctuates around 68,000 tomans, reaching as high as 68,850 tomans. The ongoing political tensions between the Islamic Republic and Israel, alongside domestic economic stagnation, paint a troubling picture for the currency market. The expansion of protests by various groups, including pensioners, workers from different industries, teachers, and healthcare workers, indicates increasing livelihood problems in Iran and the indifference of the Islamic Republic's officials.