On Wednesday, March 10, the people of Iran staged at least eight rallies and protests in different cities over officials’ failure to meet their inherent demands. Most of the protests took place in southern provinces like Khuzestan, Hormozgan, and Sistan and Bluchestan.

Iranians Continue Protests; at Least Eight Rallies and Strikes on March 10

Water and sewage staff, college students, contract forces of Power Company, green-space workers, lost shareholders, and oil workers held these rallies in various cities of the country. They expressed their anger over the regime’s failure to meet their demands.

Rally of Water Staff

Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province—workers and staff of the Water and Sewage Organization once again held a rally in front of the Provincial Governorate. They demanded officials pay their overdue salaries.

“We have yet to receive our salaries for eight months. We are ashamed in front of our families in such dire economic conditions and amidst the coronavirus outbreak,” said protesters.

“We have gathered only to obtain our rights. For many times, officials vowed to resolve our dilemmas. However, they did nothing,” said a worker.

“What sin did our families commit? In Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad province, Water and Sewage Officials’ mismanagement has created enormous dilemmas for us,” protesters added.

Rally of Locals

Khuzestan province—residents of the villages of Rasfand and Notorkey in Izah town staged a gathering in front of the local Governorate. They protested the regime’s failure to provide essential public services.

They demanded officials prevent from spreading of trash and waste in this area. “Imprudent official, resign, resign,” “Healthy environment is our right,” and “No to waste,” protesters had written on their placards.

Rally of Water Staff

Khuzestan province—workers and staff of Ahvaz’s Water and Sewage Organization held a gathering beside the organizations’ bureau and the Provincial Governorate.

They protested officials’ failure to pay their salaries and experience bonus for three months. Notably, residents of Ahvaz suffer from a lack of water and sewage services. In this context, many children have drowned in open sewage canals. However, officials did nothing to resolve the city’s dilemmas and either steel or use the city’s budget for other reasons.

College Students’ Solidarity with Saravan Protest

Tehran province—college students of Allameh Tabatabaei University, staged a gathering, protesting Iranian Baluch fuel porters’ killings and the suppression of nationwide protests in December 2017-January 2018, November 2019, January 2020, etc.

“While the internet access was a blackout and leading roads to Saravan and Baluchi areas were restricted, we heard the killing of fuel porters in Saravan, who were making ends through transferring fuel due to long-standing suppression, discrimination, and injustice, as well as the murder of 23 protesters,” college students wrote in their statement.

“Such behaviors reminded systematic suppression and violence in recent years, which see the gun as the sole instrument for responding to impoverished people’s protests and grievances. Like many border cities in Iran, residents of Saravan were deprived of fundamental rights. To fill their food baskets, oppressed citizens have to transfer goods or fuel due to the government’s imprudence,” the statement read.

“Currently, the ruling system violates their rights to life. Footage and images obtained from Saravan show the people’s dire livelihood conditions. Furthermore, local reports about the killing of protesters indicate that the government still employs its previous method for suppression. Same discriminations and injustices, which ignited scattered protests in the past decades, have contained public ire and nature of demonstrations in January 2018 and November 2019,” stated college students.

“Making a decision for participating in the university due to the coronavirus outbreak was a very difficult decision. However, the massacre of citizens while the autocrats have been involved in their circus of [2021 Presidential] elections led us to attend the university once again, raising our voices against this great density of suppression and crime,” protesters added.

Rally of Contract Forces

Tehran province—contract and service forces affiliated with the Power Distribution of Iran’s Electric held a rally in front of the Parliament [Majlis].

They protested officials’ failure to meet their rights and change their job conditions. Notably, in recent months, contract workers staged numerous protests and rallies in various cities. They demanded relevant companies and institutions recruit them officially, which ensure minimum rights.

However, most government-backed companies have rejected this urge, showing their intention to violates workers’ inherent rights. In Iran, contract workers have even been deprived of basic rights mentioned in labor law and have a far horrible situation.

Rally of Green-Space Workers

Hormozgan province—on March 10, green space workers in Bandar Abbas, the province’s capital, held a rally in front of the Organization of View, Appearance, and Urban Green Space.

The organization has decreased workers’ salaries during recent weeks, putting them in far stricter living conditions. In response, workers rallied and vented their anger over the managing board’s unjust decision.

Rally of Dey Bank Lost Shareholders

Tehran province—lost shareholders of Dey Bank affiliated with the Bonyad-e Shahid [Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs] held a gathering at the bank’s main branch.

They protested officials for a sharp decrease in the bank’s stock value. Protesters also blamed bank managers for imprudence and corruption. “The Islamic Republic does not show mercy even to families those sacrificed their loved ones to survive the regime,” ordinary citizens said.

Rally of Oil Workers

Sistan and Baluchestan province—for the second consecutive day, workers of Keysoun company continued their strike, protesting officials’ failure to pay their salaries for three months, as well as their Nowruz bonus [for the new year in the Persian Calendar].

In demanding weather conditions, these workers are manufacturing oil tanks in the Kouhmobarak Bangal area. However, employers reject pay workers’ inherent rights. In response, they resorted to security forces and threatened workers with dismissal, which severely prompted protesters’ fury.

 

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