Retired civil servants in Iran continued their Tuesday protests, gathering once again in at least eight cities including Yazd, Tehran, Sanandaj, Hamadan, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Ahvaz, and Ilam. On Tuesday, January 9, protesters gathered in front of pension funds or governorates, holding placards and chanting slogans emphasizing their demands, including the implementation of salary equalization, salary increases in line with inflation, and effective insurance. Based on images and videos released, the demonstrators protested against the current government's policies towards retirees. The protesting retirees in Kermanshah called for the government's attention to domestic issues and livelihood demands, chanting: 'Not Gaza, not Lebanon, my life for Iran.' Protesters in Ahvaz also gathered in front of the Khuzestan governorate, chanting: 'They have plundered the country, they have made us miserable,' and 'Our salaries are in rials, costs are in dollars.' Protesters in Sanandaj criticized the government's unfulfilled promises, chanting: 'Liar government, where are your promises?' Based on images from the protests in Yazd and Ilam, government agents were present at the gathering sites. The protesting retirees in Yazd also held white papers as a sign of protest. Despite the ongoing protests by retirees, critics have pointed to the 2024 budget bill, indicating increased pressures on teachers and retirees in the coming year. Recently, three teachers' organizations in Iran issued a statement declaring the main flaw of the 2024 budget to be 'the lack of a separate line item for the budget of salary equalization for retirees and the continuation of teacher ranking with a sustainable financial source.' These three organizations criticized the current implementation of ranking as exacerbating injustice and emphasized that the approval of the current budget would be an additional injustice to both active and retired teachers. Reza Ghorashi, an economic expert, stated that people do not pay attention to government statistics because they perceive inflation from their own expenses.
Protesting Retirees Gather in at Least Eight Cities in Iran; Kermanshah: Not Gaza, Not Lebanon, My Life for Iran
Retired civil servants in Iran protested in at least eight cities demanding better pensions and government accountability. They expressed dissatisfaction with the government's handling of economic issues and unfulfilled promises. The protests highlight growing discontent among retirees and the impact of inflation on their livelihoods.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Retired civil servants protested in at least eight cities across Iran, demanding better pensions and accountability from the government. The protests highlighted dissatisfaction with economic conditions and unfulfilled promises from authorities.
- Protests occurred in cities including Tehran, Kermanshah, and Ahvaz.
- Demonstrators called for salary equalization and criticized the government's handling of inflation.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has been facing economic challenges, including high inflation and dissatisfaction with government policies, leading to protests from various sectors of society.
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