Retired Government Employees Protest: Incompetent Government, Shame, Shame

On Tuesday, July 16, retired government employees held protests in at least six cities, along with a number of teachers in Shiraz, against poor economic conditions, rising prices, and inflation. According to videos and images shared on social media, the protests took place in front of the National Retirement Fund building in Hamadan, Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Ardabil, Yazd, and Karaj, continuing the 'Protest Tuesdays' of this group of retirees. The retirees are demanding 'equalization of pensions, improvement of living conditions, and an increase in welfare services.' During these protests, slogans were chanted criticizing the government, such as 'Incompetent government, shame, shame,' 'Promises are enough, our table is empty,' 'Inflation, a scourge on the people,' 'Dignity, livelihood, our rightful claim,' and 'Free the imprisoned teacher.' Meanwhile, according to ISNA news agency, Mohammad Hassan Asfari, Vice President of the Internal Affairs and Councils Commission in Parliament, stated on Tuesday that 'rising prices have reduced the purchasing power of the people.' He noted that 'the situation of retirees' pensions is not suitable and their purchasing power is low,' adding that 'we cannot be indifferent to this issue. Currently, 800,000 retirees receive less than four million tomans in pension.' These statements came at a time when, according to the state news agency IRNA, Ebrahim Raisi, the President of Iran, said on Monday 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. Additionally, Faramarz Tofighi, a former member of the Supreme Labor Council and labor activist, had 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 and with children, is about eight million tomans. The poor economic conditions in Iran have led to an increase in protests by retirees, workers, teachers, and nurses in recent years. Meanwhile, the Iranian Retirees Council noted that 'various sectors of retirees have influenced the political atmosphere of cities with their protests in different cities,' stating that in these protests, retirees have become a model of struggle and continuous protest against the dire living conditions for all people with slogans like 'Our rights can only be obtained in the streets' and 'We will not sit down until we get our rights.' According to this council, the call for retirees with the slogan 'Workers and retirees unite, unite' is a call for the unity of all workers and all sectors of retirees to protest and end this barbarism. Retirees in various cities of Iran have once again taken to the streets: 'Inflation, a scourge on the people.' Protests in six cities; telecommunications retirees demand improvement in their living conditions and insurance. Protests by retirees and people with disabilities in several cities in Iran. Protests by government retirees in several cities in Iran; 'Both Parliament and the government - they lie to the nation.' The Ministry of Labor of the Islamic Republic: 57% of the Iranian population suffers from malnutrition. A member of Parliament criticizes the 'playing with numbers' in Raisi's government: the real inflation is 120%.