A new wave of protests across Iran in recent days has once again exposed the deep and unbridgeable chasm between the Iranian people and the ruling theocracy. What began as demonstrations by retirees and workers over catastrophic living conditions has rapidly evolved into a powerful, nationwide political indictment of the entire regime, with chants directly targeting President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The protests, which spread through cities like Ahvaz, Shush, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Tehran, brought together a wide cross-section of a society pushed to its brink. Social security and steel retirees, oil and gas contract workers, medical residents, defrauded car buyers, and literacy movement teachers all took to the streets. While their immediate grievances are tied to the regime’s systemic corruption and economic mismanagement, their slogans reveal a far deeper and more revolutionary demand: the end of the ruling system.
September 15—Isfahan, central Iran
Protest rally by retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI), demanding higher pensions and access to basic services that the regime is denying them.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/jpZ3dqfOhy— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 15, 2025
The slogans tell the real story: a political indictment
The chants heard in the streets are not pleas for reform; they are declarations of rejection. After more than a year in office, Pezeshkian’s presidency is viewed as a failure and a continuation of the same corrupt policies. Protesters openly chanted, “Liar Pezeshkian, where are the results of your promises?” and “Hey Mr. President, you lied to the nation.”
This anger is directed at the entire establishment. Slogans like, “Both the parliament and the government lie to the nation,” and “This subservient government has brought poverty and corruption,” show that the people have lost all faith in the regime’s institutions. They clearly connect their suffering to the regime’s priorities, chanting, “Our tables are empty, enough with your warmongering.”
September 15—southern Iran
Oil workers and staff held coordinated protests across several major oil and gas sites in southern Iran, including the 40 offshore platforms of Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), the South Pars Gas Complex (SPGC) at Refinery No. 12, the Pars Oil and Gas… pic.twitter.com/ebbdahl2gW— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 15, 2025
A revolutionary spirit on the streets
Beyond condemning the regime, the protesters are embracing a revolutionary path forward. They have declared that change will not come from within the system, shouting, “Our rights are only won on the streets.” This sentiment is echoed in their courageous cries of, “We won’t live under oppression, we’ll sacrifice our lives for freedom. Shame on this servitude.” The demand for the release of imprisoned teachers and political prisoners further demonstrates a unified political consciousness aimed at dismantling the regime’s apparatus of repression.
Faced with a brewing uprising, Khamenei and his cronies are resorting to their old playbook. They are attempting to forestall the inevitable by: 1) maintaining a war-like atmosphere to justify crushing dissent, 2) intensifying suppression through arrests and intimidation, and 3) weaponizing poverty to paralyze the population. They hope that by keeping people preoccupied with daily survival, they can prevent a nationwide uprising. However, the relentless protests prove this strategy is failing. The people’s determination is growing, not diminishing.
September 15—Tehran, Iran#IranProtests
Instructors from Iran's Literacy Movement staged a protest in front of the Ministry of Education to voice their objection to the continued failure to issue the directive on hourly teaching contracts.
Teachers and educators from this… pic.twitter.com/wah3xoT6hw— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) September 15, 2025
The unstoppable march towards freedom
The sound of an uprising is echoing in the streets of Iran. The slogans are no longer mere complaints; they are a verdict against a corrupt and illegitimate regime. As protesters vow, “We will not rest until we take back our rights,” they are bolstered by an organized and unwavering resistance. The day when the regime’s endless looting, systematic crimes, and brutal repression collapse upon itself is not far. The path to freedom, paved by the sacrifices of the people and the actions of Resistance Units, is making the next revolution an approaching reality.