On March 4, retirees from the Telecommunications Company of Iran took to the streets in a series of coordinated protests in multiple cities to voice their complaints about the inadequacy of their retirement pensions and the government’s continuous neglect of their rights. These demonstrations took place in Arak, Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, Marivan, Tehran, Khorramabad, Shiraz, and Qorveh, representing a significant nationwide protest against economic injustice and the deteriorating living conditions of the retired workforce in Iran.
March 4—Khorram Abad, western #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the Telecommunications Company of Iran rally to protest low pensions and poor living conditions.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/fC5UHQLZ9Q— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 4, 2024
In the capital, Tehran, retirees organized a protest and march in Sardar Jangal Boulevard, in addition to another gathering of retirees demanding attention to their plight. Similar scenes of discontent were evident in Khorramabad in Lorestan province and Shiraz, where retirees rallied to express their demands. In Qorveh, western Iran, and Sanandaj in Kurdistan province, retirees also made their voices heard, echoing the prevailing dissatisfaction and the urgent call for reform.
Protesters in Tabriz, northwest Iran, resumed their protest marches with a clear demand for the government to implement a law that mandates adjusting their retirement pensions in line with living costs. The aim of this law, passed in 2010 but largely ignored, was to ensure the economic stability of retirees by aligning their pensions with the realities of inflation and rising living costs.
March 4—Tehran, #Iran
Retired employees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran resume protest rallies, demanding the implementation of a law requiring the government to adjust their pensions according to the costs of living.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/s0fIZpdoOV— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 4, 2024
Retirees’ demands in Ahvaz, southwest Iran, highlighted the struggle against low retirement pensions and poor living conditions. Their chants of “Unite against tyranny and corruption” resonated with the collective frustration towards the government’s failure to address the economic disparities affecting them.
Demonstrators in Kermanshah, representing the western part of Iran, rallied against the regime’s disregard for its laws that require the Iranian Telecommunications Company (TCI) to raise retirement pensions based on living costs. This neglect has exacerbated the living conditions of retirees, prompting urgent calls for action.
February 12—Sanandaj, western #Iran
Retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran rally, protesting the regime disregarding its own laws that require the TCI to raise the retirees' pensions according to the costs of living.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/ispvAFl9mT— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 12, 2024
Retirees’ complaints are based on more than a decade of neglect, where the regime has consistently ignored the basic needs for over 13 years. The 2010 law, supposed to ensure economic security for retirees by adjusting pensions to match living costs, remains unimplemented, leading to widespread frustration and anger.
These waves of protests reflect a broader issue of deteriorating living conditions for retirees across Iran, exacerbated by the government’s refusal to adjust retirement pensions in line with inflation and currency devaluation. With the cost of basic goods rising, retirement pensions have remained stagnant, exacerbating the economic gap and pushing retirees to the brink.
March 4—Ahvaz, southwest #Iran
Retirees and pensioners of the Telecommunications Company of Iran rally to protest low pensions and poor living conditions.
"Unite against tyranny and corruption," protesters chant#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/MLHj6UuUQr— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 4, 2024
At the same time, nurses, technical and engineering staff, and workers from different industries across Iran have started strikes and protest marches. These actions highlight widespread discontent with working conditions, unpaid wages, and unmet demands.
In Shiraz, nurses gathered in a protest march to express their complaints and demand better working conditions and fair treatment. Their demonstration is a stark reflection of the challenges faced by healthcare workers in the country, who have been at the forefront, especially during tough times.
Nurses are facing extremely poor working conditions, including low pay, forced extra work hours, and discrimination at the workplace. Last year, Mohammad Sharifi Moghaddam, the secretary general of The Nurse’s Home (Khaneye Parastar), revealed that “more than 90 percent of nurses are dissatisfied with their jobs” and said, “The shortage of nurses is so serious that some patients lose their lives. If patients don’t say anything it is because they are not aware [of this shortage] or are silently accepting it.”
March 4—Shiraz, southern #Iran
Nurses hold protest rally in front of the Medical Sciences University after authorities refuse to address their demands. The Nurses said they will go on strike if their demands are not met.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/1OMwun0KpS— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 4, 2024
In the southeastern city of Chabahar, technical and engineering staff at a water pumping station went on strike due to the authorities’ failure to pay their overdue wages and meet their basic demands. This action highlights critical issues in the public utilities sector, affecting not only the workers but also the wider community that relies on these essential services.
March 4—Chabahar, southeast #Iran
Technical and engineering staff of Chabahar water pumping station hold protest rally as authorities refrain from paying their overdue wages and address their basic demands.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/jG3skEBMgS— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 4, 2024
In Kashan, workers of the Taghtiran Industrial Company staged a protest in front of the Kashan governorate. Their complaints include unpaid wages and lack of insurance, issues that underscore the financial and social insecurity faced by workers in the industrial sector.
Petrochemical workers in Dehdasht also joined the wave of protests, striking over their delayed salaries. This action points to the broader economic challenges facing Iran’s significant petrochemical industry, impacting the livelihoods of workers and the sector’s stability.
March 4—Dehdasht, southwest #Iran
Petrochemical workers rally to protest poor working conditions.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/rafbiqqGfa— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) March 4, 2024
The Haft Tappeh area, known for its MDF board manufacturing plant, witnessed a prolonged strike, marking the tenth day of its workers’ strike. The protest against poor working conditions is an important indicator of systemic issues within the manufacturing sector, underscoring the need for fundamental reforms.
The continuation of these protests, on the heels of the regime’s sham parliamentary elections, indicates that the people of Iran have become disillusioned about the role that the government and legislative play in their lives. No matter who is in the Majlis or the Presidential palace, they know that the only way to fight for their rights is to raise their voices in the streets.
