Government Forces Attack Pensioners on the Third Day of Protests Outside the Budget and Planning Organization

On the third day of widespread protests by pensioners in front of the Budget and Planning Organization in Tehran, the gathering took place in a security atmosphere with a significant presence of government agents from the Islamic Republic. The Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions stated on Wednesday, June 14, that pensioners have gathered 'surrounded by repressive forces due to the indifference of government officials to their demands.' Despite this, dozens of protesting pensioners returned to the Budget and Planning Organization to demand their rights. According to the report, 'equalization of pensions, an increase in pensions commensurate with inflation rates, and free healthcare' have been the main demands of protesting pensioners over the past two and a half years. The Coordination Council emphasized the right to assemble and protest, condemning 'violence and repression against retired teachers.' The report did not specify whether there were any arrests during the attack by the special forces of the Islamic Republic on the pensioners. The Iranian Pensioners' Council, by releasing photos of the presence of the 'special forces' at the pensioners' protest, reported from the protesters about the 'assault of the special guard' on the 'large and protesting gathering of pensioners in 1400,' calling it 'a glimpse of the disrespect towards pensioners.' This trade union stressed that 'the assault by the special forces' is not a response to the demands of the protesters and added: 'Pensioners demand their violated rights and seek practical responses, not hollow promises or your intimidation and violence.' The Iranian Pensioners' Council condemned any form of assault and violence against pensioners while supporting the pensioners' protest as a legitimate right. Additionally, the Pensioners' Union noted in its Telegram channel that the gathering of cultural pensioners in front of the Budget and Planning Organization faced violent assaults from police and security forces. This trade union emphasized that 'when the police act violently, it means do not demand your rights and let officials loot it.' According to some reports, the attack by the so-called special forces on the pensioners' gathering on Tuesday in Tehran resulted in at least seven arrests, who were released following protests from the demonstrators. Meanwhile, the news of the pensioners' gathering has not been reflected in the official media of the Islamic Republic. The Press Supervisory Board of the Islamic Republic announced last week in a directive that publishing content described by this governmental body regarding encouraging 'boycotting or reducing participation in the 14th presidential election, unauthorized protests, as well as strikes and sit-ins, constitutes criminal content.'