Home News Protests Iranians Continue Protests; at Least 46 Rallies and Strikes from May 16...

Iranians Continue Protests; at Least 46 Rallies and Strikes from May 16 to 18

By
Mahmoud Hamidi
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From May 16 to 18, the people of Iran held at least 46 rallies, protests, and strikes in various cities, venting their anger over the government’s plundering and profiteering policies.

From May 16 to 18, the people of Iran held at least 46 rallies, protests, and strikes in various cities, venting their anger over the government’s plundering and profiteering policies. The capital Tehran had the lion’s share of these three days’ protests.

People from different walks of life time and again rallied in front of the Parliament (Majlis), blaming the ruling system in its entirety for economic failures, imprudence, and tragical dilemmas. On May 16, teachers and retirees coincidentally staged rallies in at least 15 cities across the country.

The continuous social rallies, strikes, sit-ins, and protests expose the Iranian society’s readiness for fundamental developments. On the other hand, many protesters declared their boycott of the June 18 Presidential election, showing they pursue solutions beyond the current ruling system.

Seven Protests in Iran—May 18, 2021

Rally of Currency Exchange Center Staff

Tehran province—on Tuesday, May 18, employees and staff of Crypto-Land foreign currency exchange company held a rally in front of the company’s main office at Negar tower.

Rally of Iran Air Staff

Tehran province—on Tuesday, May 18, several employees from the service section of Iran Air aviation company stopped working and gathered in front of Terminal 2 of Mehr-Abad international airport. The gathering caused a delay in scheduled flights.

Employees protested the managers for the possible expulsion of contract forces. In recent weeks, retirees of the aviation company also staged rallies protesting the managers’ failure to adjust their salaries with the inflation rate.

Rally of Creditors

Tehran province—on Tuesday, May 18, creditors of the Municipality’s Housing Cooperative in the Golestan district staged a rally in front of the municipality. Protesters say that the cooperative has yet to deliver their pre-purchased houses after several years.

“Some years ago, the fraudster cooperative took our money, but it has yet to deliver homes,” they said, calling on the mayor to attend among protesters and respond to their concerns. “Mayor, come down,” creditors chanted.

Rally of Miners

Kerman province—on Tuesday, May 18, miners of the Asminoun Chromite Mine at the Manoojan district continued their protests for the second consecutive day.

Employers refuse to pay miners’ wages. Authorities have dispatched security forces to counter workers’ peaceful protests.

Rally of Urban-Bus Workers

Tehran province—on Tuesday, May 18, workers of the urban bus Sherkat-e Vahed held a rally in front of the Islamic City Council’s building.

They protested officials’ failure to implement the plan for ranking careers as dangerous and risky occupations and pay their overdue salaries. In recent months, these workers, along with bus- and taxi-drivers, faced enormous dilemmas.

Though they are exposed to contracting the coronavirus due to their job, the government adding insult to their injuries by refusing to pay their below-poverty-line salaries. Such unfair behaviors led these impoverished workers to protest for their inherent rights.

Rally of College-Graduated Teachers

Tehran province—on Tuesday, May 18, college-graduated teachers, known as green-certification holders, gathered from different cities in front of the Parliament (Majlis). They protested education officials’ failure to recruit them formally.

Protesters blamed the government and MPs for inaction and indifference toward their conditions. “Green-certification holder, raise your voice,” they chanted.

In the past week, these teachers staged a three-day rally in front of the Majlis. However, they received nothing.

Rally of Volunteers for Contract Recruitment

Tehran province—on Tuesday, May 18, volunteers for giving contract-recruitment exams of the Health Ministry held a rally in front of the Supreme Court.

They blamed officials’ discriminatory regulations, which ban many volunteers from recruitment. This is while the country is in severe need of health and medical staff, and this need was exaggerated amidst the coronavirus outbreak. According to the opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), at least 290,000 people have lost their lives to Covid-19 since the pandemic began in Iran.

Eight Protests in Iran—May 17, 2021

Rally of Miners

Kerman province—on Monday, May 17, a group of miners of Asminoun Chromite Mine at the Manoojan district in the south of the province stopped working and held a rally in front of the local Governorate.

They protested officials’ failure to meet their demands. Given the coronavirus outbreak, the majority of people face economic dilemmas. However, the government has yet to take any step to ease the suffering and hardship of citizens, mainly working families.

Rally of Telecommunication Workers in Three Cities

On Monday, May 17, workers and staff affiliated with the Shasta telecommunication company staged rallies in front of the company’s local offices in the cities of Tabriz, East Azarbaijan province; Urmia, West Azarbaijan province; and Semnan, Semnan province.

They vented their anger over officials’ failure to meet their demands. Furthermore, officials’ indifference led enraged workers to pursue their needs through protests rather than the Islamic Republic’s legal paths.

Rally of Engineers

Fars province—on Monday, May 17, a group of engineers staged a gathering in front of the Supreme Court’s representation in Shiraz.

They vented their anger over the officials’ failure to remove brokers, who sabotage regular projects to take their advantages. They mentioned a recent directive ruled to remove brokers’ role in projects, calling on the court to follow the direction.

Rally of Mineral Company Shareholders

Tehran province—on Monday, May 17, shareholders and defrauded creditors of the Mineral Company of Damavand held a rally in front of the company’s office.

They vented their anger over plundering and profiteering policies of the company, which is led by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei-controlled Bonyad Mostazafan and commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Rally of Oil Workers

Tehran province—on Monday, May 17, several contract workers affiliated with the Oil Ministry once again gathered in front of the Majlis protesting officials’ failure to change their job conditions.

These workers time and again called on relevant officials to improve their job conditions. However, the government has yet to do anything for them, leaving them with their hardships and difficulties.

Rally of Literacy Movement Teachers

Tehran province—on Monday, May 17, for the second consecutive day, teachers of the Literacy Movement rallied in front of the Education Ministry, demanding officials remove all kinds of discrimination against their recruitment conditions.

Thirty-One Protests in Iran—May 16, 2021

Countrywide Protests of Retirees and Teachers in 15 Cities

On May 16, retirees, pensioners, and welfare recipients affiliated with the Social Security Organization, as well as the teachers of the “literacy movement,” staged protests in at least 15 cities across the country.

They vented their anger over the dire economic situation, below-poverty-line salaries, and the government’s failure to meet their fundamental needs.

According to eyewitnesses, the State Security Force (SSF) and plainclothes agents attempted to prevent these gatherings outside the Social Security Organization’s branches. However, the people resisted and continued protests.

“The protest gatherings were held in Tehran, Tabriz, Mashhad, Kermanshah, Khorramabad, Ardebil, Ilam, Shiraz, Karaj, Kerman, Isfahan, Arak, Ahvaz, Borujerd, and Lahijan,” the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reported.

“We will no longer vote; we have heard too many lies,” and “We will not rest until we get our rights,” chanted protesters.

NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi saluted protesting teachers and retirees. “The continuous protests and uprisings of the retirees, teachers, workers, and laborers, bespeak of the unflinching resolve of the Iranian people to confront an illegitimate and criminal regime. Supporting the protesters is a nationalistic and patriotic duty,” she emphasized.

Rally of Young Teachers

Tehran province—on Sunday, May 16, young teachers staged a rally in front of the Majlis, showing their frustration over officials’ actions and imprudence.

They blamed the government for failing to fulfill the approved plan about ranking teachers, which paves the path for employing them.

Rally of Non-Profit School Teachers

Ilam province—on Sunday, May 16, teachers working in non-profit schools held a gathering at the local education department’s site. They protested systematic discrimination, which has deprived them of a sustainable salary and other privileges.

They called on education officials to adjust their wages in accordance with the inflation rate. Notably, these people receive salaries lower than public schools’ teachers and lack fundamental rights.

Rally of Kaveh Workers

Tehran province—on Sunday, May 16, fired workers of Saveh-based Kaveh Glass Industrial Group travel from Markazi province to the capital to stage a rally in front of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare.

They expressed their ire over employers’ decision to dismiss workers to compensate for the company’s debts and expenditures. “Employers fired us to balance the company’s costs and benefits, which prohibited us from retirement’s benefits,” said workers.

Rally of Industrial Towns Staff

Khuzestan province—on Sunday, May 16, service forces of industrial towns in the cities of Khorramshahr and Abadan held a rally and launched a strike venting their anger over the officials’ failure to pay their overdue salaries.

For several months, these workers avoided raising their voices to give the employers a chance. However, when they declared their protests, state-linked employers threatened them with dismissal to force them to disperse and to dissolve their movement.

Strike of Cement Factory Workers

Razavi Khorasan province—on Sunday, May 16, workers of the Joghatay Cement Factory continued their strike and rally for the fifth consecutive day. Workers protested officials for failing to pay their unpaid wages despite their previous complaints and gatherings.

Notably, state-run media systematically avoid covering reports and news about workers’ protests and strikes to portray a nice image of people’s conditions in the lead-up to the June 18 Presidential election. Given the censorship, employers still refuse to pay workers’ salaries.

Residents’ Protest against Killing Abandoned Dogs

East Azarbaijan province—on Sunday, May 16, a large group of Tabriz residents gathered in front of the Municipality, venting their anger over the ruthless performance of municipal agents by killing abandoned dogs.

Recently, municipal agents have collected and killed dogs under the pretext of cleaning the city. The action prompted animal rights advocates’ fury, leading them to declare their protest in front of the municipality. “Resign, resign,” chanted protesters addressing Tabriz Acting Mayor Mohammad Reza Ghorbanian.

Rally of Service Forces

Isfahan province—on Sunday, May 16, service forces affiliated with the Education Ministry staged a gathering in front of the local education department.

They protested officials’ failure to pay their meager salaries, posing additional economic difficulties and dilemmas to these impoverished people.

Rally of Miners

East Azarbaijan—on Sunday, May 16, miners of Anjar Copper Mine in Ahar launched a strike protesting officials’ failure to pay their salaries and keep their promises.

They continued their strike on Monday for the second consecutive day. In Iran, miners have been deprived of basic privileges, like safety items and equipment. Last week, two miners lost their lives in a coal mine in Damghan, Semnan province.

In such circumstances, employers refuse to pay miners’ meager wages and threaten them with dismissal. On the other hand, the government does nothing in favor of miners due to its profitable ties with employers.

Rally of School Janitors in Three Cities

On Sunday, May 16, janitors of public schools once again held rallies protesting officials’ failure to pay their salaries and delayed pensions. In Tehran, janitors rallied in front of the Education Ministry.

In Isfahan and Shiraz, janitors gathered in front of the local education departments demanding officials meet their inherent rights.

As a common sign, protesters had printed a janitor wage receipt on a banner showing the dramatic distinction between the costs and earnings of janitors’ families.

In recent months, janitors staged several rallies in front of government offices, including the Majlis. However, they have yet to obtain their fundamental rights, and their meager salaries never cover living expenditures, particularly regarding the coronavirus’s financial consequences.

Rally of Medical Staff

Alborz province—on Sunday, May 16, health and medical staff of Khomeini hospital in Karaj staged a gathering in front of the Municipalities Cooperation Organization.

They protested officials’ failure to pay their overdue salaries. “We don’t want an imprudent chief,” protesters chanted.

Rally of Farmers

Hamedan province—on Sunday, May 16, farmers and locals in Parluk village rallied at the Sanandaj-Hamedan Railroad. They protested officials for blocking the primary and secondary roads.

“They blocked 22 roads but built no bridge… If the railroad is set, we will no longer be able to commute,” the farmers said.

Rally of Municipal Worker

Kermanshah province—on Sunday, May 16, the municipality’s daily workers held a rally in front of the municipality protesting officials’ failure to recruit them.

“Mayor Saeed Toluei just recruits his relatives while they do not have enough job experience,” workers said.

Rally of Steel & Mine Industry Retirees

Isfahan province—on Sunday, May 16, retirees affiliated with the Steel & Mine Industry rallied in front of the retirees’ fund, protesting officials’ failure to meet their demands.

In recent weeks, they staged several rallies pursuing their inherent rights but only gained officials’ indifference and inaction.

Rally of Disabled School Teachers

Khuzestan province—on Sunday, May 16, teachers at schools for disabled children held a gathering in front of the local education department in Ahvaz.

They protested officials for low-level salaries and obstacles about their insurance rights. Despite their sincere works for many years, officials refuse to increase these teachers’ salaries.

 

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