Retirees of different sectors held protests in Iran continued on Sunday, October 6, and Monday, October 7. On Sunday retirees from the steel industry and the Social Security Organization held rallies in Tehran, Gilan, Isfahan, and Khuzestan provinces among others. In Tehran, government forces attacked the peaceful protest rally and arrested several retirees, who were calling for their most basic needs.
Steel retirees from different parts of Iran had rallied in front of the presidential office in Tehran. Government retirees and pensioners of the Social Security Organization also joined the rally. As the rally continued, security forces surrounded the area.
While no authority from the president’s office responded to the demands of the protesters, state security forces attacked the crowd and violently attempted to disperse the protesters.
More footage of protest rally by steel retirees in Tehran and the attack of by security forces against the peaceful protesters#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/9DaE31uDil
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 6, 2024
The protesters chanted slogans such as “No nation has ever seen this much injustice,” “Inflation and high prices are killing the people,” “Only on the streets can we claim our rights,” “Steel workers, shout for your rights,” “Retirees, shout for your rights,” “Livelihood and dignity are our absolute rights,” “Shout, shout, against all this oppression,” and “Unity, unity, against tyranny and corruption.”
According to social media reports, state security forces tried to violently disperse the retirees beat some and arrested them. When the demonstrators protested the police’s violent behavior, security forces became even more aggressive.
October 6—Shush, southwest Iran
Retirees of the Social Security Organization resume their protests. They are demanding higher pensions and access to basic services.
The protesters also demand the release of jailed labor activists.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/hUqpaGZBgm— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 6, 2024
According to the regime’s own laws, the government is obliged to adjust pensions of retirees in accordance with inflation and costs of living. The government must also provide retirees with basic needs such as healthcare. However, despite the constant protests by retirees, regime authorities refrain from responding to their demands.
At the same time, groups of retirees also held protests in Ahvaz, Isfahan, and Rasht.
On Monday, retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) resumed protests in several cities, including Tehran, Rasht, Shiraz, Kermanshah, Ilam, and Tabriz. For months, the protesters demand for the government to implement a law that mandates adjusting their retirement pensions in line with living costs. The aim of this law, passed in 2010 but largely ignored, was to ensure the economic stability of retirees by aligning their pensions with the realities of inflation and rising living costs.
October 7—Rasht, northern Iran
Retirees of Telecommunication Company of Iran resume weekly protest rallies, demanding higher pensions and other basic rights.
"The tyrannical shareholders have stolen our rights," protesters chant#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/Men7kkHoxw— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 7, 2024
Retirees’ complaints are based on more than a decade of neglect, where the regime has consistently ignored the basic needs for over 13 years. The 2010 law, supposed to ensure economic security for retirees by adjusting pensions to match living costs, remains unimplemented, leading to widespread frustration and anger.
The increase in economic protests and the shrinking of Iranian households’ purchasing power come as the regime continues to spend the country’s wealth and resources on terrorism in the region and the development of weapons of mass destruction.
The spread of protests by various professional groups, including retirees, industrial workers, teachers, fraud victims, nurses, and healthcare workers, reflects the growing economic challenges in Iran and the neglect of these issues by regime officials.
October 7—Tehran, Iran
Contract workers of the telecommunications company resume protest rally as authorities continue to refrain from addressing their demands.
"What happened to this high-revenue company?" protesters chant#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/KiciOv3MZP— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) October 7, 2024