In a new day of interconnected protests, Iranian cities witnessed a broad social movement, spanning from Esfahan and Ahvaz to Kermanshah, Shush, and Yazd. Retirees crushed by inflation, exhausted bakers, suffocated industrialists, and angry truck drivers all raised their voices against official silence. The common thread through all these movements: hopelessness, blocked paths, and an explosion of bottled-up rage.
Retirees’ Protests Across Cities
May 11—Ahvaz, southwest Iran
Retirees of the Social Security Organization hold protest rally, reiterating their demands for higher pensions and basic services.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/0s9Eqr2P4o— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 11, 2025
Ahvaz – Mass Rally Under the Southern Heat
Hundreds of Social Security retirees rallied in Farhangshahr’s Worker Square, chanting:
“Hussein, Hussein is their slogan – lying and stealing is their work!”
and: “They’ve impoverished and looted us,” reflecting deep frustration with neglect and poverty.
Kermanshah – A Plea for Dignity
Retirees protested in front of the Social Security building chanting:
“We retirees stand firm to our oath,” demanding long-overdue recognition.
May 11—Kermanshah, western Iran
Retirees of the Social Security Organization hold protest rally, reiterating their demands for higher pensions and basic services.
Protesters chant, "Retiree, don't suffer, demand your rights,"#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/r4b17LV4g6— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 11, 2025
Shush – “Where Do We Go?”
Social Security retirees gathered, expressing:
“We worked all our lives – now we can’t even feed ourselves,” highlighting the crushing neglect they face daily.
Waves of Strikes and Shutdowns in Production Sectors
Kheyrabad – Arak: A Factory Without Power
Industrialists blocked the entrance of Kheyrabad Industrial City in protest of relentless blackouts, citing severe losses and halted production lines.
Tipper Truck Drivers – Gilan: Not Enough Fuel, Insulting Pay
Tipper truck drivers continued their strike in Rostamabad for a second day, saying:
“We’re working at a loss – no pay, no support, no response!”
Textile Sector – Yazd: Industry Under Siege
Textile workers protested in front of the governor’s office, warning that power outages were destroying equipment, shutting down workshops, and triggering layoffs.
Other Protest Movements Reflecting Public Anger
May 11—Andimeshk, western Iran
Bakers rally in front of the governorate to protest severe economic challenges faced by local businesses.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/oVrdURQCmK— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) May 11, 2025
Arak – Bakers Cry Out
Bakers protested rising costs and power cuts, shouting:
“We can’t survive any longer!”
Qaleh-Konj – Dough Thrown at the Power Company
In a symbolic protest, bakers in Qaleh-Konj hurled spoiled dough at the electricity company’s doors after outages ruined their daily output.
Andimeshk – No One Hears the Bakers
Bakers demonstrated, saying:
“The baker lost his bread, and the people lost the bread on their tables!”
Kolahi Port – Military Raid on the Poorest While the Real Mafias Stay Above the Law
On Sunday, security forces stormed Kolahi fishing port in Sistan and Baluchestan under the pretext of fuel smuggling. They surrounded the area, broke through mud walls, raided homes, and terrified women and children. Meanwhile, everyone knows that the real fuel smuggling mafia operates under the protection of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Instead of confronting the major networks that control the borders and highways, the regime sent soldiers to violate homes and crush the dignity of the Baloch people. What happened wasn’t law enforcement – it was a message of institutionalized oppression against a long-marginalized population. If this continues, ethnic tensions and regional explosions in southeast Iran are inevitable.
Shocking Words from Inside the Industry
Amin Beidi, board member of the Builders’ Association, said:
“It’s easier to find drugs in this country than diesel!”
He revealed that producers are buying fuel on the black market at 20,000 tomans per liter, and factories are working in the dark.
A Collapsing Regime… and a Society on the Edge of Explosion
Today’s protests are not isolated—they are pieces of a wider mosaic of public fury. From retirees and bakers to factory owners and truckers, everyone is shouting… but no one answers. Inflation, blackouts, healthcare collapse, industrial ruin, and the insult to human dignity have become the fuel for an approaching uprising. Even regime newspapers and analysts are now warning of an explosion, admitting society can no longer endure this volume of pressure, poverty, and discrimination. Iran is sitting on a volcano… and the regime is still plugging its ears.