Social Security Retirees Protest Living Conditions: Wages Should Exceed Poverty Line

Social Security retirees continued their protests on Sunday, known as "Protest Sundays," gathering in at least four cities in Iran to voice their grievances about their living conditions. According to images and videos shared on Telegram channels of retirees' organizations and the Free Workers Union of Iran, these protests took place in front of Social Security offices in the cities of Ahvaz, Shush, Kermanshah, and Rasht. In Shush, retirees from Haft Tappeh also participated. According to ILNA news agency, they demanded "adjustment of pensions and receiving wages above the poverty line, access to free medical services, enhancement of welfare services, and restoration of the independence of the Social Security Organization." Based on videos shared on social media, Social Security retirees in Ahvaz expressed their support for Farzaneh Zilabi, a lawyer for Haft Tappeh workers, retirees, and teachers in Khuzestan province, and called for the cancellation of her harsh sentences. Ms. Zilabi has been sentenced to one year and six months in prison by the court. In recent months, protests by Social Security retirees, telecommunications workers, steelworkers, and national pension fund members have expanded. Some members of parliament and government officials have admitted that living conditions in Iran have become critical. In this context, Hadi Mousavi Nik, the director general of social welfare studies at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, stated in a video published on the "Nin Economic" website that 57% of Iran's population suffers from malnutrition and do not receive the necessary 2100 calories. Additionally, according to ISNA news agency, Mohammad Hassan Asafari, deputy head of the Internal Affairs and Councils Commission in Parliament, said on July 26, "Rising prices have reduced people's purchasing power." He noted that "the situation of retirees' wages is not suitable, and their purchasing power is low," adding, "We cannot be indifferent to this issue. Currently, 800,000 retirees receive less than four million tomans in wages." According to ILNA news agency, Mohammad Reza Sabaghian, a member of parliament, also stated on Saturday, July 31, that "the issue of rising prices has gone beyond limits, and three out of four people complain about inflation," saying, "People do not have money to pay rent, and the increase in rent is breaking people's backs. We officials must visit our constituencies tomorrow; which one of us can hold our head high?" Such statements were made while, according to the state news agency IRNA, Ebrahim Raisi, the President of Iran, stated on July 25 in Yasuj, "The government will not allow the rights of workers and retirees to be violated, and this is a priority." Over the past two years of his presidency, he has made similar statements repeatedly, while according to Mohammad Bagheri Benabi, a member of the Economic Commission of Parliament, the poverty line in Tehran has reached 30 million tomans. Furthermore, Faramarz Tofighi, a former member of the Supreme Labor Council and a labor activist, previously stated that the cost of living in Iranian cities exceeds 20 million tomans per month. These figures have not been denied by Islamic Republic officials. In this context, the minimum monthly wage for workers covered by labor law, married with children, is about eight million tomans per month. "Incompetent government, shame, shame" and "freedom for imprisoned teachers" were among the slogans of retirees in Ardabil. "Promises are enough; our table is empty" was a slogan of retirees in Qazvin. A call for unity among retirees was made during the protest of retirees in Kermanshah on Tuesday, July 27. The slogan of retirees in Yazd was: "Dignity, livelihood, our legitimate right." The slogan of national retirees in Sanandaj was: "Inflation, rising prices, a disaster for the people." Labor and teacher organizations supported the campaign for one hundred thousand signatures. The national retirees' protest: "Incompetent government, shame, shame." Protests occurred in six cities; telecommunications retirees demanded improvements in their living conditions and insurance.