HomeNEWSIRAN NEWSIran engulfed by protests as regime's callousness and corruption fuel nationwide dissent
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Iran engulfed by protests as regime’s callousness and corruption fuel nationwide dissent

By Mahmoud Hakamian
Iran weekly protests May 9 2025
Iran weekly protests May 9 2025

The past week in Iran has been marked by a surge of nationwide protests, fueled by the regime’s criminal negligence in the face of tragedy and its continued plundering of the nation’s wealth. From the grieving families in Bandar Abbas to the determined retirees and striking workers across numerous cities, the Iranian people are once again demonstrating their unyielding resolve to reclaim their country from the clutches of a corrupt and oppressive clerical dictatorship.

Regime’s callous disregard in Bandar Abbas sparks outrage

The week began under the shadow of the devastating Bandar Abbas disaster, a tragedy directly attributable to the regime’s criminal mismanagement and systemic corruption. While the nation mourned the loss of life and hundreds of workers remained missing, the mullahs’ regime callously announced an end to search and rescue operations on Saturday, May 3. This cruel decision, made while the fate of so many was still unknown, laid bare the regime’s utter contempt for human life.

In response, a wave of solidarity and grief swept across Iran. Heavy truck drivers, mourning their colleagues, organized solemn convoys from Takestan to Bandar Abbas and from Kazerun to Kermanshah, their vehicles adorned in tribute to the victims. In Bandar Anzali, citizens lit candles, and in Hajiabad, drums of mourning sounded, commemorating those lost to the mullahs’ incompetence. In Bandar Abbas itself, grief-stricken families, clutching photos of their missing loved ones, gathered at the port, vowing not to leave until their children were found, directly challenging the regime’s attempts to silence their anguish.

Economic hardships trigger nationwide protests by bakers and retirees

Beyond the immediate sorrow of Bandar Abbas, the week saw a continuation of widespread protests against the regime’s rampant economic mismanagement and looting. Hardworking bakers, who had initiated protests the previous week, took to the streets again on Tuesday, May 6. In Tehran, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and other cities, they gathered before regime governorate offices, decrying the crippling increases in insurance premiums, utility bills, fuel costs, and the skyrocketing price of essential goods.

The nation’s retirees, a demographic consistently betrayed by the regime, also continued their relentless pursuit of justice. On May 4, steel and mining retirees in Isfahan marched, chanting powerful slogans such as, “Reduce your theft, solve our problem!” and “Cry out against this injustice!” Their voices echoed the widespread sentiment that the regime’s officials are nothing more than thieves and plunderers.

In Ahvaz, retirees showed solidarity with the people of Bandar Abbas, displaying placards that read, “My house is on fire, Iran – Bandar Abbas, condolences.” Their protests also included demands for the release of political prisoners and condemnations of the government, chanting, “The worker in prison must be freed!” and “Our message to the government: Shame on you, shame on you!”

Similarly, retirees in Shush exposed the hypocrisy of the regime with slogans like, “Hussein, Hussein is their slogan, lies and theft are their work!” and “From Khuzestan to Gilan, death to these managers!” Telecommunication retirees in Tehran, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, and other urban centers joined the chorus, demanding an end to the systemic injustice they face.

Oil sector workers rise against exploitation

The vital oil and gas sector was also a hotbed of protest. On May 5, workers from the Iranian Offshore Oil Company in the Lavan region rallied against unpaid wages and discriminatory salary practices. Employees of the Ministry of Oil held a significant gathering in front of the ministry building in Tehran, voicing their deep dissatisfaction with employment conditions and dire living standards.

Oil industry workers in Gachsaran also protested outside the local governorate office, demanding their rights. The following day, May 6, contract oil workers, accompanied by their families, protested in front of the Ministry of Oil. Concurrently, on May 5, employees on the Nasr operational platform in the Siri region protested against structural injustices and discriminatory pay.

Families of political prisoners lead cries against executions

The fight against the regime’s brutality was starkly evident as families of political prisoners gathered once more outside the notorious Evin Prison. On Tuesday, May 6, coinciding with the 67th week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, they protested the barbaric death sentences handed down to their loved ones. Holding pictures of prisoners including Babak Alipour, Pouya Ghobadi, and Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, they joined resilient prisoners in 41 prisons across Iran in demanding an immediate halt to the regime’s execution machine.

This protest took place as the heroic city of Dezful mourned. On Monday, May 5, a large crowd gathered for the funeral of Azim Farokhvand, a courageous youth murdered by Khamenei’s security forces during a protest outside Fajr Prison the previous week.

Citizens confront regime-linked corruption and economic pressure

Further protests erupted over financial fraud and economic hardship. On May 5, defrauded investors in the “Ghaffari” car embezzlement scheme protested in Qazvin, blocking the Qazvin-Karaj highway after their savings were plundered by individuals linked to the regime. Qazvin also saw protests from investors in the “Reyhan Tak” carmaker project.

In Bandar Deylam, citizens rallied against the regime’s attempts to eliminate small boat imports, a traditional source of livelihood now threatened by thieving officials. In Shiraz, shopkeepers at the Persian Gulf Complex protested the arbitrary doubling of monthly service charges.

These widespread and diverse protests underscore the Iranian people’s profound rejection of the ruling tyranny. From every corner of the country and every sector of society, the message is clear: the Iranian people are united in their demand for freedom, justice, and an end to the mullahs’ corrupt and oppressive rule. Their resilience and courage in the face of brutal repression signal that the regime’s days are numbered, and the dawn of a free and prosperous Iran, as envisioned by the Iranian Resistance, is drawing nearer.

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