On Sunday, April 25, the people of Iran held at least 22 rallies, protests, and strike in various cities, venting their anger over the government’s plundering and profiteering policies. Retirees, pensioners, and welfare recipients affiliated with the Social Security Organization once again staged countrywide protests in 14 cities. They explicitly announced their boycott of the upcoming Presidential election in June.
Furthermore, car customers, workers, shopkeepers, merchants, nurses, railroad workers in the provinces of Mazandaran and Lorestan, and petrochemical drivers held other protests and strikes. The southwestern province of Bushehr had the lion’s share in the April 25 protests.
Countrywide Retirees’ Rally in 14 Cities
According to reports tallied by the Iranian opposition coalition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), on Sunday, April 25, retirees, pensioners, and welfare recipients affiliated with the Social Security Organization once again held protests in 14 cities across the country.
They protested officials for indifference and inactivity toward their financial dilemmas, dire living conditions, high prices, and below-poverty-line salaries. As a sign of their frustration, retirees announced the boycott of the upcoming presidential election scheduled for June, chanting, “We will no longer vote, as we heard so many lies.”
#IranProtests
Retirees and welfare recipients affiliated with the Social Security Org held countrywide protests in 14 cities today, @iran_policy reported.
In Tehran, they gathered in front of the Parliament. Security Forces detained several retirees.https://t.co/pMvQGFrSUp pic.twitter.com/KKBP6QTRUA— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) April 25, 2021
“Except for Tehran, the outraged retirees succeeded in holding their protest rallies in front of the main offices of the Social Security Organization in Karaj, Kermanshah, Borujerd, Arak, Khorramabad, Qazvin, Shush, Shiraz, Isfahan, Ardabil, Mashhad, Bojnurd, and Sari,” the NCRI stated.
Furthermore, protesters rejected claims raised by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani that sanctions were the country’s main obstacle. “The protesters also chanted, ‘Our enemy is right here, they’re lying that it’s the U.S.’ This slogan, which can be heard in various protests across Iran, shows the people are not buying into the regime’s propaganda efforts to lay blame for the country’s problems on the U.S.” wrote the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) official website.
Rally of Car Customers
Bushehr province—on Sunday, April 25, car customers held a rally in front of the provincial judiciary. They protested the automaking company’s failure to deliver their pre-purchased cars.
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Bushehr—car customers rallied in front of the provincial judiciary protesting the automating company's failure to deliver their prepurchased cars. pic.twitter.com/PddGH8j9Vq— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) April 26, 2021
“Multi-billion fraud, where is justice?” “Where are our cars?” and “What have they done with our money?” protesters had written on their placards.
Rally of Workers
Kerman province—on Sunday, April 25, workers and employees of Gold-Iran Industry staged a rally expressing their anger over the employers’ profiteering decisions.
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Kerman—Gold-Iran Industry employees rallied protesting low salaries, high working time, forced overtime, as well as officials' refusal to follow up workers' demands. pic.twitter.com/PjT4EOiwTP— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) April 26, 2021
They protested low salaries and pensions, high working hours, and forced overtime. Protesters also blamed officials for failing to follow up their demands.
Rally of Shopkeepers
Bushehr province—on Sunday, April 25, shopkeepers of the malls of Mellat, Azadi, and Lian gathered in the streets protesting the government’s decision for shutting down the malls.
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Bushehr—shopkeepers of the malls of Mellat, Azadi, and Lian gathered in the streets protesting the government’s decision for shutting down the malls.
"Despite the shutdown of our stores, #CoronavirusPandemic has spread and the death toll has increased"—Protesters pic.twitter.com/CwHy62bp53— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) April 26, 2021
“Until now, we have shut down these malls for three periods. Instead, supermarket chains, banks, etc. did not close. On the other hand, the death toll has increased. So, the reason for the spread of coronavirus is not our business. We will rally tomorrow at 9:00 am and will do whatever we want if officials did not resolve our dilemmas,” said the shopkeepers’ representative.
Rally of Merchants
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province—on Sunday, April 25, merchants from clothing, bag, and cosmetic guilds held a rally in front of the provincial governorate.
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Bushehr—merchants from clothing, bag, and cosmetic guilds held a rally in front of the provincial governorate.
"We shut down our shops to save people’s lives. But what has the government done to save us?" protesters had written on a banner. pic.twitter.com/zXAkA9Mzkp— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) April 26, 2021
“Even if we defeated the coronavirus, but we will be defeated by rents, expenditures, living costs, poverty, returned checks, and unpaid loans. We shut down our shops to save people’s lives. But what has the government done to save us?” protesters had written on a banner.
Rally of Nurses
Tehran province—on Sunday, April 25, nurses staged a gathering in front of the judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi’s bureau. They protested officials’ failure to fulfill the law of tariffs and register their careers as hard and harmful jobs.
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Tehran—nurses rallied in front of the judiciary chief's bureau protesting officials’ failure to fulfill the law of tariffs and register their careers as hard and harmful jobs. pic.twitter.com/uoRelUwrv2— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) April 26, 2021
According to state media, the Parliament (Majlis) had passed the law of tariffs seven years ago. In this context, nurses’ salaries were supposed to be adjusted based on their services. However, the government has yet to perform this law and it has even failed to pay nurses’ salaries and overdue wages amidst the coronavirus outbreak.
Rally of Railroad Workers
Mazandaran province—on Sunday, April 25, railroad workers of the North Railroad Company continued their strike for the second day in a row. They protested officials’ failure to follow up workers’ demands.
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Mazandaran—railroad workers of the North Railroad Company continued their strike for the second day in a row protesting officials’ failure to follow up workers’ demands. pic.twitter.com/vCxtYTbwKA— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) April 26, 2021
According to reports, railroad workers of Varamin station declared their support of this strike. Furthermore, in solidarity with the strike, railroad workers in Dorud station, Lorestan province, launched a strike.
Rally of Petrochemical Drivers
Khuzestan province—on Sunday, April 25, more than 500 bus and minibus drivers affiliated with the petrochemical plant held a rally in Mahshahr’s economic-petrochemical especial zone.
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Khuzestan—over 500 bus and minibus drivers rallied in Mahshahr’s economic-petrochemical especial zone protesting officials' failure to meet their demands. pic.twitter.com/wR2WhathhH— Iran News Update (@IranNewsUpdate1) April 26, 2021
They declared their discontent over officials’ indifference and inactivity toward their demands.
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Iranians Continue Protests; at Least 19 Rallies and Strikes from April 19 to 22