Protests are continuing in Iran, according to reports by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), and the people taking part are from all across society.
Social Security Organization retirees protested for the eighth week in a row on Sunday, March 14, over the regime’s failed economic policies and refusal to adjust pensions in line with inflation.
In a dozen cities, including Ahvaz, Rasht, Khorramabad, Tabriz, Arak, Kermanshah, Tehran, Karaj, and Isfahan, the pensioners chanted “High prices & inflation are killing people”, “Our country sits on treasures; retirees live in hardships”, and “Our main demand is pensions based on the inflation rate”.
Inflation, which the state-run Arman daily described as “one of the biggest and most fundamental problems” in Iran, is currently running rampant because the regime resorts to print money to paper over the budget deficit. This deficit is expected to be 130,000 billion tomans for the 21/22 budget. In addition, the value of the rial has dropped over 80% in just a few years. The government has neglected to raise pensions to deal with this.
While oil industry retirees protested outside the Ahvaz Pension Funds representative office in southwest Iran on Monday, with the slogan, “We will not relent until we get our rights back”.
On Tuesday, March 16, Behbahan Municipality workers gathered outside the city council building to protest the poor living conditions that are the result of not being paid their salaries.
Meanwhile, Pars Metal Company workers protested their employer failing to fulfil obligations to pay employees.
One worker said: “The employer promised to release 30 checks today so that we could use our banking services, but that did not happen.”
Also, that day, workers at Iran’s electricity distribution company protested for their rights outside the parliament.
While dairy farmers gathered to protest the regime’s lack of support regarding high prices for animal feed and low prices for milk, which forced them to sell their cattle.
The Iranian Resistance wrote: “These protests by all walks of life indicate the regime has failed in resolving Iran’s economic and social crisis. The regime has used the Covid-19 outbreak to quell society through inaction and cover-up of this crisis. Yet, these protests show the regime’s inhumane Covid-19 policy will no longer work.”
Even the state-run Jahan-e Sanat wrote that the people will continue to protest until they have freed themselves from their problems. As these problems are caused by the regime, this does not bode well for the mullahs.
