Two Days Before the New Year, Salaries of Thousands of Retirees Still Unpaid

Salaries for 1.2 million retirees who are members of Iran's pension fund have not been paid, just two days before the start of the new solar year. On Thursday, March 17, the Fars news agency quoted an informed source from the national pension fund stating that a "3 trillion tomans budget deficit" is the main reason for the delay in salary payments. The source, whose name was not disclosed, added: "The fund officials are trying to pay the retirees' salaries within the next three to four hours." Meanwhile, Hamed Shams, the head of the public relations department of the national pension fund, confirmed this news and stated that the fund is waiting for a transfer of funds from the government. Mr. Shams added: "As soon as this transfer is made, the retirees' salaries will be paid before the beginning of the year 95 (Persian calendar)." According to this official, currently, "all leave for fund employees has been canceled and everyone is working to ensure that the delayed salaries of retirees are deposited." The Iranian government has been unable to control the financial and economic problems arising from international sanctions months after their lifting. The international sanctions, imposed due to the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities, have severely impacted Iran's economy in recent years, significantly limiting the government's financial resources for managing the country. Meanwhile, Iranian governments have always faced significant challenges at the end of each year in paying salaries, benefits, and bonuses to employees and retirees. However, the severely negative impact of sanctions on Iran's financial resources has compounded the difficulties faced by governments in paying their salaries and benefits in recent years. This year, numerous reports of strikes and protests by employees, workers, and retirees across Iran have emerged in response to delays in receiving their salaries and benefits. In the latest protests, many employees in the Assaluyeh region gathered due to the lack of bonuses and overdue wages. Fars news agency reported that employer and contracting companies in the Assaluyeh region have been unable to pay their workers' overdue salaries. According to this news agency, workers from phases 20 and 21 of Assaluyeh also protested yesterday due to not receiving several months' wages and bonuses.