Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic Accuses 'Enemies' of 'Provoking Workers'

As labor protests continue in Iran, the website of the Supreme Leader published his speech from February 5, where he accused 'enemies' of trying to create 'a recession, a stagnation among workers or forcing workers to do so.' According to the report, the Supreme Leader's remarks were made during a meeting with participants of a gathering known as the 'Congress of 14,000 Martyrs of the Working Community of the Country.' In this speech, released on his website on Tuesday, March 26, he referred to his previous statements that 'the counter-revolution has always had its eyes on workers,' adding that opponents of the Islamic Republic, or as he described them, the counter-revolutionaries, have been trying to 'provoke the working community against the Islamic Republic since the victory of the February 1979 Revolution.' However, he claimed that 'workers, with insight, determination, and adherence to faith, have rejected their calls.' Ayatollah Khamenei did not mention the security and judicial actions against labor activists in the 1980s, many of whom were arrested, executed, or forced to emigrate from Iran. Meanwhile, those labor activists who remained free resorted to secret and limited union activities or became reclusive. According to the Supreme Leader's website, he accused enemies of trying to create 'a recession, a stagnation among workers' in factories, especially large ones, and forcing workers to do so. Without addressing the labor movements in various regions of Iran protesting unpaid wages and insurance rights for extended periods, layoffs, or wages below the poverty line, and the security and judicial actions against labor activists and organizations in recent years, he stated that 'workers have always resisted, stood firm, and with insight, have rejected the enemy's hand.' Typically, the Supreme Leader and officials of the Islamic Republic describe the United States and Israel as enemies. His remarks were published amid numerous reports of labor protests, including strikes, gatherings, and marches by workers in several Iranian cities. The latest example of these labor protests involved workers from the National Industrial Steel Group in Ahvaz, who gathered in front of the Khuzestan governor's office. They chanted on the eighth day of their protest: 'Today is a day of mourning, the National Group is miserable, the owner is in mourning today,' 'Death to the worker, greetings to the oppressor,' and 'This level of injustice has never been seen by a nation.' The National Industrial Steel Group includes steel manufacturing, Kowsar rolling, rebar rolling, pipe manufacturing, and machinery manufacturing, employing about 4,000 workers, who have not received their wages for at least three months. These workers are also demanding clarification on how their March salaries, bonuses, and rewards will be paid. The new round of protests by the National Industrial Steel Group workers began last Sunday when they prevented the loading of trucks. Some protesting workers also chanted 'Death to the worker – greetings to the oppressor' during last week's Friday prayers in Ahvaz, a sarcastic slogan protesting the neglect of their demands, which widely circulated on social media. The National Industrial Steel Group in Ahvaz was owned by the Amir Mansour Arya Investment Group, which had its temporary management transferred to the judiciary after a 3,000 billion tomans embezzlement scandal. Subsequently, the ownership of this large industrial complex was entrusted to the National Bank due to its debts, and ultimately, ownership was transferred to Abdolreza Mousavi, CEO of Zagros Airlines, in November of this year. Abdolreza Mousavi is also the owner of the Esteghlal Ahvaz football club, Daryoush Hotel in Kish, and the Kish Dolphin Park. On Sunday, March 6, he wrote on his Instagram page in response to the protests of the National Industrial Steel Group workers that in the three months since he became the owner of this complex, he has tried to resolve the problems of the National Industrial Steel Group as quickly as possible. He mentioned 'helping some personnel retire, reducing unnecessary contractors, ending the work of some employed retirees, cutting costs, restructuring, and revising regulations.' He added that during a meeting with the Khuzestan governor on Sunday, it was decided to implement the resolutions of the 'Facilitation Headquarters' as soon as possible, and the bank committed to issuing a guarantee for purchasing raw materials for Khuzestan Steel as quickly as possible. Nonetheless, the owner of the National Industrial Steel Group accused some 'malicious' individuals from 'inside and outside the company' of provoking workers and initiating strikes, which he claimed led to 'alienating customers and eroding trust in the company.' Meanwhile, the Free Union of Iranian Workers reported on the strike of workers and contractors at Khorasan Steel Factory and Petro Sanat Deniz Company due to 13 months of unpaid wages. According to this labor organization, employees at Ilam Refinery also went on strike in protest of their unpaid demands. Previously, workers from Qazvin Steel Factory, Arman Shafaq Company in Takestan, Varna Dairy Factory, Ahab Company employees in Tehran, workers at Gholaman Dam in North Khorasan, Bot Service Company in Kish, HEPKO in Arak, Saman Kashi Boroujerd, Haft Tappeh Sugarcane workers, contractor workers at Abadan Refinery, company forces of the East Azerbaijan Road and Transportation Administration, workers at Rangin Factory in Semnan, parks and green spaces organization of Yasouj Municipality, Taban Shahr Construction Company in Birjand, and contract workers in the special petrochemical zone of Mahshahr have protested through strikes, gatherings, and marches due to unpaid wages and benefits. Among them, HEPKO workers formed a human chain in the central square of Arak on February 5, the day of the Supreme Leader's speech. Meanwhile, according to the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, a significant number of drivers responded to a call from this labor organization on Sunday by turning on their bus lights. This syndicate issued a statement on Tuesday regarding the reasons for the protests of the drivers and workers of this company, mentioning that 'the credit card (purchase) recharge for workers has not been done on several occasions, work clothes for drivers and workers at the parking and repair shop have not been provided for the second half of the year, timely promotion of drivers' eligibility groups is not being carried out, housing facilities for about 6,000 drivers and workers have not been paid despite the resolution of the Housing Organization, and the construction of housing for 270 workers has been left unfinished.' According to the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, the protest movement on Sunday took place while the management of the company had dispatched patrol vehicles to 'prevent drivers from turning on the bus lights.' Using reports from the websites of the Leader of Iran, the Free Union of Workers, the Syndicate of Workers of the Bus Company, and other news sources.