On April 6 and 7, the people of Iran staged at least 37 rallies and protests in various cities, venting their anger over the government’s plundering and profiteering policies. Water and sewage staff in Khuzestan province, electricity workers, college-graduated teachers in seven cities, telecommunication retirees, and landowners and livestock farmers held 12 rallies on April 6.

On April 7, retirees and pensioners affiliated with the Social Security Organization staged a countrywide protest in 25 cities for the second time in the past week. They declared their disappointment about both government factions and vowed to boycott the upcoming Presidential election in June.

 

Rally of Water and Sewage Operators

Khuzestan province—on Tuesday, April 6, a group of Ahvaz’s Water and Sewage operators held a rally in front of the Provincial Governorate on behalf of around 1,000 operators. They protested officials’ failure to pay their overdue salaries, asking the Governor to resolve their dilemmas.

“The Water and Sewage Office has yet to pay operators’ overdue salaries despite its prior promises. We did not receive our salaries for three months. Meanwhile, employers did not pay our Nowruz bonuses completely,” said protesters.

“We have between 10 to 15 years of experience. Our dilemmas started when Ahvaz’s Water and Sewage Office integrated with the rural sector. Currently, workers are not satisfied with their working conditions. Almost every month, they do not receive their salaries completely. On the other hand, contract workers receive lower salaries in comparison to official workers,” said a protester.

Protesters also expressed their anger over the Water and Sewage Office’s failure to pay worker’s insurance rights. “The office has yet to deposit our insurance to the Social Security Organization’s account for several months,” workers said.

 

Rally of Electricity Company Workers

Tehran province—on Tuesday, April 6, staff and workers of the Electricity Distributing Company staged a gathering in front of the Parliament (Majlis). They protested officials’ failure to meet their demands.

“Remove intermediaries and contractors,” “Balance wages,” and “We forces of the Electricity Distributing Company have been excluded from the official chart, we should be added to the official chart,” they had written on banners.

 

Rally of Water and Sewage Staff

Khuzestan province—on Tuesday, April 6, the staff of Khorramshahr’s Water and Sewage Office held a rally in front of this office. They protested officials’ failure to pay their arrears and overdue salaries.

“The office has refused to pay our salaries and demands for three months,” said protesters.

 

Rally of College-Graduated Teachers

On Tuesday, April 6, college-graduated teachers staged rallies in seven cities, including Tehran; Rasht, the capital of Gilan province; Karaj, the capital of Alborz province; Isfahan, the capital of Isfahan province; Shiraz, the capital of Fars province; Yazd, the capital of Yazd province; and Bushehr, the capital of Bushehr province.

They protested officials for removing parts of their regular wages. This year, the Supreme Court has removed their work experience wages, leading teachers to protest for their fundamental rights.

 

Rally of Telecommunication Retirees

Fars province—on Tuesday, April 6, retirees of Remote Telecommunication Company held a rally in front of the local office of the state-run Broadcasting Organization. They protested officials for making and broadcasting a fake report about the organization.

“This report was biased, and the state-run TV had not taken retirees’ opinion in the following debate aired later,” protesters said.

There are around 1,500 retirees. The company owed the workers more than two trillion rials [$8 million]. Following the 2000s economic crisis in Iran and expanded protests, the company was allocated to the Delegation for Supporting Industry.

In March, the delegation approved that the company must be put on auction to pay creditors’ money. Protesters blame the state-run TV for ignoring to point to the imperative of auctioning the company.

 

Rally of Landowners and Livestock Farmers

Khuzestan province—to protest the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) oppressive and monopolizing actions, residents of the Ein al-Zaman village overnight destroyed a wall that was built by IRGC forces to monopolize their pastures.

The IRGC has seized these lands under the pretext of implementing the plan of countering and reining particulates. “These lands belong to the people. Do not issue a war announcement against us! It would be better for the Agricultural Department to fulfill its duty and provide water for livestock rather than creating crises,” protesters had written on a banner.

 

Countrywide Protests of Retirees in 25 Cities

On Wednesday, April 7, retirees, pensioners, and welfare recipients affiliated with the Social Security Organization held rallies in Tehran and 24 other cities in front of the organization’s bureau and representations. In their second nationwide protests in the new Persian year, retirees and pensioners vented their anger over dire living conditions, low wages, and high prices.

“We have heard too many lies, we will no longer vote,” “We have not seen any justice, we will no longer vote,” “The imprisoned retirees—arrested for participating in previous rallies—must be released,” “Inflation, high prices, [President Hassan] Rouhani must be held accountable,” “We will not rest until we obtain our rights,” “Our food baskets are empty, enough of repression,” “Parliament, Government, stop deceiving the people,” and “To overcome empty plates, we must take to the streets,” chanted protesters in Tehran and other cities.

“In addition to Tehran, retirees in Sari, Ahvaz, Urmia, Qazvin, Karaj, Rasht, Khorramabad, Kerman, Ardabil, Shush, Andimeshk, Shooshtar, Tabriz, Ilam, Arak, Yazd, Abadan and Khorramshahr, Dezful, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Bojnurd, Shahroud, and Shiraz held a protest rally outside the local social security offices,” stated the Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

“The protests by the dignified retirees recurring nationwide with the chants to boycott the sham (presidential) election, reflects the cries of protests by all Iranians to obtain their pillaged rights by the mullahs’ usurper and corrupt regime. This regime has been squandering the national wealth and the fruit of workers’ labor through plunder, warmongering, nuclear and missile programs, and domestic suppression,” said NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi.