Protests by Various Professions Held Today in Different Cities Across Iran

The accumulated demands of retirees and current employees from various sectors, including oil industry workers, and the indifference of officials have led these groups to pursue their demands in the streets. In this regard, various protest gatherings were held across the country today. The Telegram channel of the "Free Union of Iranian Workers" reported multiple gatherings of professional and protest groups on Sunday, November 12. According to this union's report, official employees of the Ministry of Oil working at the continental oil company located in the Siri region, the southern oil-rich areas, and the oil and gas exploitation company in Aghajari protested again due to the lack of attention to their demands. The protests by oil ministry employees at operational centers include grievances such as the complete removal of salary caps, the elimination of retirement age restrictions, the return of excess tax deductions, full implementation of Article 10 and payment of back pay due to delays in its implementation, and avoiding encroachment on the oil workers' pension fund. Reports indicate that nurses in Kashan and Aran and Bidgol also held a protest this morning in front of the central headquarters of Kashan University of Medical Sciences. The issues faced by nurses are more profound and complex than others, and Mohammad Sharifi Moghaddam, the Secretary-General of the Nurses' House, emphasized that 90% of nurses are "dissatisfied." Retirees from the steel and mining industries also protested today, as they have on other protest Sundays, due to the lack of attention to their demands. According to reports, this gathering faced intervention from security forces, resulting in the arrest of several protesters. In Isfahan, a group of retirees from the steel and mining industries joined these protests as they have in previous Sundays. Retirees and official employees of the Ministry of Oil working in the special economic zone of Mahshahr were also among the protesting groups today. Protests and strikes over livelihood issues among various professions in Iran continue, including regular weekly protests by retirees from social security, telecommunications, educators, and state pensioners in various cities. Kazem Alamdari, a sociologist and university professor, previously mentioned in an interview with VOA that the main reasons for retirees' protests in Iran are livelihood problems. Workers from the National Industrial Steel Group in Ahvaz chanted, "We want nothing but our rights; we do not want government handouts" during the social security retirees' gathering in Shush. Retirees in Kermanshah chanted, "The retired ship is stuck in the mud." Videos attributed to the gathering of "retirees and survivors" from the oil industry in Ahvaz showed workers, official employees, and retirees from the oil sector and nurses gathering in seven cities across Iran. Over 400 pharmacists gathered in front of the Khorasan Razavi governorate. Protests by social security retirees and employees of the oil and gas company in Aghajari continue in several cities across Iran, with protests by retirees and official oil employees held in at least five cities.