Retirees Gather in Several Cities; Oil and Gas Workers Protest Again in Aghajari

Continuing the livelihood protests in Iran, a group of retirees from the Social Security Organization and retirees from the steel industry gathered in several cities. At the same time, employees of the oil and gas company also protested in Aghajari. According to reports from news sources in Iran, a group of protesting retirees and pensioners from the Social Security Organization gathered and marched on Sunday, October 22, in protest against their poor living conditions and unmet demands in at least the cities of Kermanshah, Ahvaz, Arak, Shush, and Dezful. Simultaneously, reports indicate that retirees and pensioners from the steel and mining industries protested against their poor living conditions and the lack of attention to their demands in front of the retirement fund building in these provinces. Additionally, a report from the Free Workers Union of Iran indicates that employees of the Aghajari Oil and Gas Exploitation Company in Khuzestan province protested again on Sunday against the "removal of salary caps, removal of retirement severance pay restrictions, and return of excess tax deductions." During these protests, slogans such as "They plundered our supplies, they made us miserable," "Retiree salaries last only a week," "Inflation is a curse on the people," "We will not live under oppression," and "Woe to this oppression" were chanted. They also shouted: "Our rights can only be obtained on the streets," "Half salaries, if you remain silent, this is what you get," and "The implementation of equalization is our legitimate right." The demands of the steel industry retirees in these protests include the full implementation of equalization, receiving overdue payments, and guaranteeing the fulfillment of medical commitments. Morteza Afagh, an economist in Iran, stated that based on published statistics regarding poverty, at best, 30 million people are "below the absolute poverty line." Furthermore, Jamshid Asadi, an economist, told the Persian section of Voice of America that the war between Israel and Hamas will worsen Iran's economic situation.