Continuing the livelihood protests, a number of retirees from the government and social security gathered on Tuesday, January 16, in various cities across Iran, including Yazd, Ahvaz, Kermanshah, and Qazvin. According to reports received by Voice of America and published on social media on Tuesday, January 16, the protesting retirees chanted slogans such as "Iran's wealth, what happened to you?", "Poverty, corruption, and embezzlement are the results of your actions", "Retirees rise up against poverty and discrimination", and "Imprisoned teachers must be freed", protesting against the performance of the Islamic Republic officials and the judicial pressures on labor activists. The demands of the protesting retirees and pensioners include the implementation of salary equalization, salary increases in line with inflation rates, effective insurance, and the release of imprisoned labor activists. The protests have been ongoing weekly for the past few months. Observers say that the 2024 budget bill will increase pressures on retirees and teachers 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 allocation for the equalization of retirees' salaries and the continuation of teachers' ranking with a stable financial source." Farokh Zandi, an economist residing in Toronto, recently told Voice of America that one of the main problems of the Islamic Republic is the large budget deficit. Jamshid Damouyi, an economist living in California, pointed out the "fabricated numbers" in the 2024 budget bill of the Islamic Republic government, stating that we should expect greater inflation in Iran. Additionally, Payman Molavi, an economist, told the Tehran-based newspaper Etemad that the classification of income levels is a "new shop" for the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, and that even if this ministry were to be shut down, nothing significant would happen in the country. He stated that providing subsidies in a high-inflation economy is useless and that policies in Iran have become similar to those in Venezuela, which ultimately yield no results.
Protests by Retirees Over Livelihood Issues in Several Cities: Iran's Wealth, What Happened to You?
Retirees in Iran protested in multiple cities against economic hardships and government mismanagement, demanding better pensions and the release of imprisoned labor activists. The protests reflect growing dissatisfaction with the government's handling of economic issues, particularly in light of an upcoming budget that may exacerbate their struggles. This situation highlights the increasing tensions between the government and citizens over economic conditions.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Retirees across several Iranian cities protested against economic hardships and government mismanagement, demanding better pensions and the release of imprisoned labor activists. Their slogans reflected deep dissatisfaction with the government's handling of economic issues.
- Protests have been ongoing weekly for several months.
- The 2024 budget is expected to increase financial pressures on retirees and teachers.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has been facing severe economic challenges, including high inflation and budget deficits, which have led to widespread public dissatisfaction. The government's handling of these issues is increasingly under scrutiny.
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