Simultaneously with the strike of merchants in Tehran, livelihood protests resumed in several other provinces, including Isfahan, Khuzestan, and Kerman on Sunday, January 9. According to reports received by Voice of America and published on social media on Sunday, January 9, livelihood protests included gatherings of retirees in Isfahan, Ahvaz, and Shush, a gathering of employees of the Friko oil production company in Sirjan, and protests by workers in Haft Tappeh. Protesting retirees in Shush, Khuzestan province, while demanding their professional rights, chanted: "We say salaries are low, bread prices are rising." In Isfahan, a group of protesting retirees from the steel company emphasized the necessity of meeting their professional demands, chanting: "Shout, shout, from all this injustice." Retired social security organization protesters in Ahvaz also held a rally with the slogan "Let go of the hijab, control inflation." Meanwhile, dozens of workers from the Haft Tappeh sugarcane company protested against the government's delay in accepting ownership of the company, chanting: "Haft Tappeh workers, unity, unity." Additionally, on Saturday, January 8, employees of the Friko oil company in Sirjan, Kerman province, gathered in protest against the non-payment of their salaries and benefits. One protester in a video from this gathering stated that "workers have not received salaries or insurance for six months." Meanwhile, the strike in the Tehran market continues, with newer images being published. Frequent closures, restrictions on working hours, and forced shop closures after 8 PM under the pretext of controlling the electricity crisis in recent days, alongside the increase in the dollar price to over 80,000 tomans, have intensified merchants' and shopkeepers' discontent. The strike in the Tehran market occurred after the dollar price reached over 82,000 tomans on Saturday, and currently, each US dollar is sold for about 81,000 tomans in the Iranian market. Some observers have previously described economic problems as the "Achilles' heel of the Islamic Republic." In recent days, Ibrahim Azizi, the head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stated that if "correct decisions regarding workers' issues" are not made, there will be "serious effects and concerns." Jamshid Asadi, an economist, told Voice of America that the trend of the rial's fall against the dollar has gone beyond the control of the Islamic Republic authorities and that "Iran's economy is unable to manage the preservation of the country's capital and financial values. This fall has occurred, and there is no safety net."
Protesting Retirees: We Say Salaries Are Low, Bread Prices Are Rising
Protests by retirees and workers across Iran resumed on January 9, with demands for better salaries and living conditions amid rising inflation and economic instability. The protests reflect widespread discontent with the government's handling of economic issues, particularly as the value of the rial continues to plummet against the dollar. This situation poses significant challenges for the Iranian government and could lead to further unrest.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Protests erupted across several Iranian provinces as retirees and workers demanded better salaries and living conditions amidst rising inflation and economic instability. The protests included various groups such as retirees, oil company employees, and sugarcane workers.
- Protests occurred in provinces like Isfahan, Khuzestan, and Kerman.
- The Iranian rial's value is plummeting, exacerbating economic woes.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has been grappling with economic challenges, including sanctions, inflation, and currency devaluation, which have led to widespread public discontent.
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