Economic Protests in Iran Continue with Gatherings of Social Security and Steel Retirees

Economic protests on Sunday, December 5, continued with gatherings of social security retirees in several cities across Iran. At the same time, retirees from the steel industry and nurses also held protest rallies. According to reports from news sources, social security retirees and pensioners gathered and marched in the cities of Kermanshah, Arak, Ahvaz, and Shush, chanting slogans and holding placards regarding their livelihood and professional rights. According to the Free Trade Union of Workers of Iran, retired protesters in Arak not only gathered in front of the social security office in the central province but also marched to the office of the city’s representative in Parliament. The protesting retirees chanted in various cities: "They plundered the social security, they made us miserable," "Our demand this time is livelihood and healthcare," "Where is the state media? Our voice is unheard," "The result of the government's work is the plundering of the people's pockets," "Hussein Hussein, their slogan, lies and theft are their work," "Our rights can only be obtained on the streets," and "Both Parliament and the government oppress the people." The Telegram channel of the Iranian Retirees Council reported that these gatherings were held "in protest against poverty and destitution" and "discrimination and inequalities." Meanwhile, a number of nurses from the University of Medical Sciences held a gathering in Tehran on the same day, chanting: "Where is our tariff? It’s under your cloak." Continuing the economic protests on Sunday, December 5, retirees and pensioners from the steel company gathered in Tehran and Isfahan in front of the steel pension fund. The Islamic Councils of Labor in Tehran province, following the approval of raising the retirement age, requested in a letter that the Guardian Council not approve this resolution. The letter pointed out the problems arising from "increased retirement age and service years" and stated that workers currently "cannot bear more pressure" and should not be "deprived of the comfort of retirement alongside their families." As economic protests escalate in Iran, occurring several times a week in various cities, well-known economists Masoud Nili, Davood Soori, and Zahra Kavyani criticized the economic governance of the Islamic Republic over the past four decades, stating that there has been "no significant achievement" in reducing poverty and that "about 30 percent of our population lives below the poverty line." Previously, Iranian economist Farshad Moameni had stated based on "official data" that nearly one in three Iranians is "absolutely poor" and for the first time in 100 years, the population of the poor in Iran would double in less than three years. Meanwhile, Jamshid Asadi, an economist, told Voice of America that the budget plan for the year 1403 would lead to further poverty expansion and intensified inflation in Iran.