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Water shortages trigger protests in Iran

By Mahmoud Hakamian
water protests in divandarreh july 31 2023
Protests erupt in Divandarreh due to constant water outages caused by the regime's destructive policies

On Monday night, a large group of locals in Divandarreh, western Iran, held a protest rally as they are facing severe water shortages and the regime continues to ignore their needs. The people of the city have been facing three days of water outages.

Instead of addressing the people’s needs, the regime dispatched security forces to suppress the protests. The protesters resisted the repressive security forces and blocked roads with fire. Clashes between security forces and the people of Divandarreh continued late into the night.

According to reports, security forces directly fired tear gas canisters into the crowd, injuring four civilians.

The protest comes as many regions of Iran are facing severe water shortages, mainly caused by the destructive policies of the ruling regime.

On Tuesday morning, the people of Zabol, Sistan and Baluchestan province, held a large rally, protesting water outages and poor air quality.

Also on Tuesday, retired government employees resumed their weekly protest rallies, raising their demands for the most basic living needs as the regime’s policies continue to push their lives into poverty and misery. Protests were reported in Sanandaj, Kermanshah, Yazd, Ardabil, Shiraz, and Shahrekord.

In Kermanshah, the retirees gathered in front of the offices of the government retirement fund and reiterated their demands for higher pensions and other basic needs.

“We will not stop until we get our rights!” the protesters chanted.

In Sanandaj, retired teachers and education workers held a protest rally, demanding the implementation of a ranking law that would adjust their pensions and provide them with the services they need, including healthcare. The protesters criticized the regime for not addressing their needs as they face high inflation, skyrocketing prices of basic goods, and other problems.

In the past few years, retirees across Iran have been protesting their deteriorating living conditions, especially as the government refuses to adjust their pensions based on the inflation rate and fluctuations in the price of the rial, Iran’s national currency. The price of most basic goods have spiked severalfold while pensioners continue to receive the same stipends as before.

In Yazd, the retired government employees gathered in front of the provincial governor’s office and reiterated their demands.

The protesters were chanting, “Unite against poverty and corruption!” while holding placards that criticized the regime for ignoring their plight and needs.

On one of their placards was written, “If there is one less embezzlement case, our problems will be solved,” a reference to the astronomical embezzlement cases that government officials and entities are engaged in.

In Ardabil, the retirees gathered in front of the government retirement fund to make their voices heard. “Enough with the promises, our tables are empty!” the protesters chanted as the regime continues to make empty promises year after year.

One of the recurring themes in the protests by the retirees is demanding the regime to implement the laws that its own parliament has passed. There are several laws for more than a decade ago that require the government to adjust the pensions of retirees based on inflation rates and to make sure that their needs are met. But every administration promises to address the needs of the retirees, only to dither and delay until the next government comes into office.

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