Telecommunications Retirees Protest in 13 Provinces; Addiction Therapists and Oil Workers Demonstrate in Khark

A number of retirees from Iran Telecommunications Company protested on Tuesday, November 1, against their living conditions and the lack of attention to their demands, gathering simultaneously in at least 13 provinces. According to the Free Workers Union of Iran, these protests took place in Tehran, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kurdistan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Gilan, Ardabil, West Azerbaijan, Isfahan, Markazi, Ilam, Fars, Khuzestan, and East Azerbaijan. The protesters chanted slogans such as "Only on the streets can we get our rights," "What happened to the profitable company?", "Yesterday's warriors, today's hungry", "The promises were beautiful, but they were all lies", "Enough promises, our table is empty", "We will not rest until we get our rights", and "Implementing the regulations is our legitimate right." They also expressed their discontent with the silence of domestic media and the inaction of officials regarding the retirees' protests, chanting slogans like "Internal media, reflect reflect" and "Revolutionary parliament, support support". Additionally, reports indicate that official employees of the Ministry of Oil at the Continental Oil Company in the Khark operational area and the Siri region protested due to the lack of attention to their demands. These employees are calling for the removal of salary caps and restrictions on retirement benefits, emphasizing the need for the return of excess tax deductions. On Sunday, employees of the Aghajari Oil and Gas Operating Company also staged a protest. Furthermore, a significant number of addiction therapists protested in front of the Ministry of Health against the closure of treatment centers and the transfer of treatment responsibilities to pharmacies. Jamshid Asadi, an economist, previously stated in an interview that the war between Hamas and Israel will worsen the economic situation in Iran.