Retirees' Protests Continued This Week; Minister of Welfare: We Have No Issues Paying Retirees' Salaries

While extensive protests by retirees and teachers took place yesterday in several cities across Iran in response to the "poor living conditions," the Minister of Labor of the Islamic Republic stated today on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting that "this year we have faced no obstacles in paying the salaries and pensions of retirees." Meanwhile, ILNA news agency quoted Hassan Mousivand, a board member of the Social Security Retirees Association in Khorramabad, stating: "Delays in paying retirees' salaries have become a habit for Social Security for several months now." Mousivand explained that this practice has a history; in 2013, under the pretext of centralizing retirees' salaries and eliminating alphabetical payment schedules, the payment program was delayed by three to four days each month to pay everyone on the same day, which did not happen, and now salaries are delayed again. Minister of Labor Solat Mortazavi also announced changes in income categorization, emphasizing that anyone in the first five income brackets will receive a "120,000 Toman incentive subsidy." The Minister's claims regarding retirees' salaries come amid reports to VOA and images shared on social media on Tuesday, August 31, showing simultaneous protests by retirees in at least Tehran, Shiraz, Yazd, Semnan, Karaj, Shahrud, Poldokhtar, Ardabil, Qazvin, Kermanshah, Ilam, Sanandaj, and Ahvaz. According to reports, protesters are demanding salary equalization, livelihood security, and the preservation of their dignity. The protesting retirees chanted slogans such as "Retiree, shout out, demand your rights," "Salary equalization is our right, it is our legitimate right," "We won't sit down until we get our rights," "Promises are enough, our table is empty," "If one embezzlement is reduced, our problem will be solved," "Shame on us, our state media," "Death to the liar," and "This level of injustice has never been seen by a nation." Protests by retirees also occurred on August 30, with Iranian Telecommunications retirees gathering simultaneously in at least Tehran, Arak, Ahvaz, Kermanshah, Rasht, Mashhad, and Bandar Abbas. In recent months, retirees have repeatedly held coordinated protests against government policies, with their main demands being "restoration of pensions and receiving salaries above the poverty line, access to free healthcare services, improvement of welfare services, and restoration of the independence of the Social Security Organization." The economic conditions in Iran have endangered families' livelihoods in recent years. Some members of parliament and government officials have admitted that living conditions in Iran have become critical in recent months. In this regard, Hadi Mousavi Nik, the director of social welfare studies at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, stated that 57% of Iran's population suffers from malnutrition and do not receive the necessary 2100 calories. Additionally, according to ISNA news agency, Mohammad Hassan Asafari, the deputy head of the Internal Affairs and Councils Commission in Parliament, stated on July 26 that "rising prices have reduced people's purchasing power." He added that "the situation of retirees' salaries is not suitable and their purchasing power is low," emphasizing that "we cannot be indifferent to this issue. Currently, 800,000 retirees receive less than four million Tomans in salary."