Protests and demonstrations by various strata of the Iranian society continued during the past week. The government deeply apprehensive of the repetition of popular uprisings took steps to quell the protests as they form, or to subside them by making false promises to the protesters. However, the workers, toilers and the deprived who are fed up of this regime refuse to retreat until their demands are met.
Statistical report on last week’s protests:
Overall, there were 60 protests as follows:
- Workers 19
- Students 1
- Educators 3
- Victims of financial fraud 6
- Retirees 2
- Farmers 4
- Bazaar merchants 1
- Prisoners 1
- Prisoners’ hunger strike 1
- Others 22
On the average, there were 9 protests a day
The most important protests of the week
- Workers:
- Workers in Malach Aram mine gathered to protest their unpaid wages (Malach Aram is a subsidiary of Zemestan Yort Shomali Mine)
- Workers of Haft Tapeh sugarcane factory, gathered in protest once more since their previous demands had not been met
- Drivers of machinery in Phase 12 of Southern Pars in Bushehr(S) went on strike as the officials failed to meet their demands
- Municipal workers in Dezful(S), Chavibdeh(S), Abadan(S) and Shadegan(S) gathered to protest their unpaid wages
- Other protests by workers were as follows:
- Protest gathering of workers of Tiraj Co. in Isfahan
- Protest gathering of workers of Sugar Cube and Filtering factory in Ahvaz
- Protest gathering of workers of Azarit Factory in Tabriz
- Protest gathering of workers of Petropay Petrosazan and Omran Rahgozar enterprise in Qeshm Island
- Protest gathering of railway workers in Doroud, Khorramabad
- Retirees:
- Protest gathering of retired workers of Haft Tapeh sugarcane factory for not receiving their due wages
- Protest gathering of Kiyan Tire retirees for not receiving their annual retirement bonuses
- Educators:
- Educators of Isfahan, Ardabil and Kermanshah staged protest gatherings to voice their discontent about low wages and the failure of the government to meet their demands
- Farmers:
- Varzaneh farmers assembled several days to protest the violation of their right to water and staged marches in the streets of Varzaneh in Esfahan Province.
- Others:
- On the anniversary of the deadly incident of Sanchi oil tanker, mothers and relatives of the lost crewmen assembled in Tehran and mourned their loved ones
- Some entrepreneurs of Farmers Insurance Fund came to Tehran from all over the country, to gather in protest in front of Employment Organization to protest inaction regarding the recruitment plan
- A number of the disabled assembled in front of the parliament to protest lack of payment for their rehabilitation insurance and nursing care. They chanted: “the law on the disabled should be implemented”
- Official employees of the National Iran Oil Company (NIOC) assembled in front of the parliament to protest their difficult economic conditions and the officials’ failure to deliver their promises
- People in cities of Dezful, Yasouj and Gohardasht gathered in front of branches of Ayandeh Bank due to rumors that the bank has gone broke.
- Protests of other strata are as follows:
- Protest gathering of contractors of Tehran Municipality
- Protest gathering of Tabas bakers
- Protest gathering of employees of Vahdat Credit Institute in Mashhad
- Protest gathering of Sistan and Baluchistan Province’s residents in protest of water shortage
- Protest gathering of Saipa customers
- Protest gathering of unemployed youths in Asaluyeh
- Strike by Saqqez butchers
