Reported by PMOI/MEK
Iran, March 22, 2019 – As the Iranian people gather to celebrate the Persian New Year (Nowruz), the Iranian regime and its security forces are afraid that any assembly and celebration can turn into protests.
During last year, Iran witnessed thousands of demonstrations and protest gatherings across the country. People from all walks of life gathered during last year on a daily basis to demand their rights. They protested to demand their unpaid wages, to get back their plundered money by the government-run financial institutions, their dried out rivers after the government-affiliated companies and institutions redirected the waters of rivers for their own benefits and dozens of other mismanagement or corrupt policies of the government.
As the Iranian opposition president-elect Maryam Rajavi said in her New Year address, “In the past year, Iran grew lots of blossoms heralding its political and social spring. The blossoms of uprisings, protests, and strikes. The uprisings in Kazerun, Borazjan, Ahvaz, and Khorramshahr. The uprising of Tehran’s Bazaar. The uprisings in early August in 27 cities. Five series of nationwide strikes by truckers and truck owners. And consecutive strikes and protests by workers, teachers, educators, and the retirees. And thousands of strikes, protests, and demonstrations in at least 700 cities and towns.”
So this time in the route to the city of Shiraz the repressive state security forces, fearing that any gathering would immediately turn in to another protest activity, prevented visitors to Pasargad historical site to celebrate Nowruz. Pasargad is home to the tomb of Cyrus the Great, the ancient king of Persia.
Also in Ahvaz on March 21st, the first day of spring, workers of Kut-Abdullah municipality protested for the third consecutive day to receive their unpaid wages and New Year bonus. They went on strike leaving their jobs and stopped collecting the city garbage.