Iran: Students rise in support of their protesting teachers

November 13, 2018

'Teachers on strike across Iran' — 60d60871-d92b-4dfb-ac5c-58477df6d346_690

Reported by MPOI/MEK

Iran, Nov. 13, 2018 – Teachers in cities throughout Iran launched a strike on Tuesday and refused to show up in their classrooms.

These cities include Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Yazd, Bushehr, Karaj, Ilam, Ardabil, Baneh, Saqqez, Marivan, Ivan Gharb, Saveh, Hamedan, Sanandaj, Shahin Shahr, Shahr-e Kord, Jolfa, Babol, Lamerd, Chaboksar, Nowshahr and many others are witnessing teachers refuse to show up in their classes.

Teachers are protesting the arrest of their colleagues, their own poor living conditions and living in poverty.

In various provinces, students and their parents are voicing their support for the protesting teachers’ demands.

In Isfahan, Sanandaj, Shiraz, Divandareh and Marivan students held rallies and raised signs expressing solidarity with their teachers.

Students supporting their protesting teachers

Students supporting their protesting teachers

Iranian opposition President Maryam Rajavi hailed the protesting teachers and tweeted a message of support.

Hail to the freedom-loving teachers of #Iran who have staged a nationwide strike and sit-in in protest to their living conditions and lack of job security, demanding release of their imprisoned and exiled colleagues.

— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) November 13, 2018

In this new movement, the teachers are protesting their low paychecks and pensions, living in poverty, inflation, skyrocketing prices and decreasing purchasing power; not being authorized to establish independent organizations, lacking adequate insurance; authorities plundering the Teachers Fund; authorities refusing to implement the National Management Services Law since 2006 and many other plans that have remained merely on paper.

On October 14 and 15, teachers in dozens of cities launched a similar nationwide strike protesting poor living conditions, oppressive measures and authorities dispatching a large number of security units to schools and college campuses.

In the first round of these protests, teachers in more than 60 cities across Iran are continuing their nationwide strike for the second consecutive day on Monday, reaching the cities of Mashhad, Marivan, Isfahan, Hamedan, Karaj, Homayounshahr, Shahinshar, Ahvaz, Baneh, Ravansar and many more.

Reports from the cities of Qeshm, Ahvaz, Poldokhtar, Ravansar, Rafsanjan, Zarineh and Babol indicate all teachers are on strike. Their protests have also spread to the cities of Divandareh, Shiraz, Sanandaj, Sari, Langrud, Saqqez, Khomeini Shahr, Kermanshah, and many others.

Earlier this year, teachers across the country took to the streets to protest against discrimination, imprisonment of political activists and economic woes. This round of strikes by teachers is happening in parallel to a widespread strike by truck drivers across the country, which has lasted for more than three weeks and has expanded to more than 300 cities across the country. Last week, a separate strike by merchants and shop owners reached dozens of cities.

Baneh, western Iran