On Monday, December 5, 2022, merchants and store owners launched a three-day strike on the eve of National Student Day on December 7. According to reports tallied by activists, merchants are on strike in more than 77 cities across Iran.

Observers believe the strike is a major blow to the regime’s vulnerable economy regarding the country’s lack of industrial infrastructure and a broker system. Furthermore, the bazaar was the mullahs’ main base for decades. Now, they witness thousands of their “public base” have risen against religious fascism.

The strike continued despite authorities’ pressure and oppressive measures against merchants. In Cheragh Bargh bazaar, the regime dispatched dozens of fully armed anti-riot forces. However, they met nothing thanks to the strikers’ unity and resilience. “This crowd has come to fight [Khamenei],” merchants chanted in Cheragh Bargh bazaar.

“I salute Bazaar merchants across Iran who stopped work and went on strike on the 81st day of the Iran uprising,” said Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. “They joined university students and other social strata to support Iran protests. Iran revolution will win the victory!”

Meanwhile, college students, petrochemical employees, workers, truckers, and other low-income strata joined the nationwide strike despite their deteriorating financial situation. College students boycotted classes in Tehran, Rasht, and Sanandaj.

At the time, protests and anti-regime activities and rallies continued across the country. “Death to Khamenei,” citizens chanted in the Khajeh Abdollah metro station. “Death to Revolutionary Guards Basij,” young people chanted in Hamedan. “The victory is near,” a brave protester wrote in graffiti on the Borujerdi bridge in broad daylight.

Families of detained citizens again rallied outside the notorious Evin Prison despite cold and rainy weather. They seek the whereabouts of their loved ones who’ve been arrested by security forces arbitrarily.

December 5 marked the 81st day of anti-regime protests in Iran. The demonstrations began following the heinous murder of Mahsa Amini, 22, in police custody. However, it immediately turned into a revolution against the entire theocratic regime.

According to the Iranian opposition Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK/PMOI), the protests have extended to 280 cities. The regime has killed over 700 citizens, injured tens of thousands, and detained more than 30,000. The MEK has published the names of 565 killed protesters.

Follow the Day-by-Day Report of the Iran Revolution 2022…

Key Developments:

  • Authorities hanged at least five inmates, including one woman and four Iranian Baluch citizens, in the prisons of Isfahan, Shiraz, and Zahedan.
  • At 1:50 a.m. local time Monday, December 5, the clerical regime’s terrorists and operatives used Molotov cocktails and firebombs to attack one of the offices of the supporters of the MEK in Cricklewood, northwest London.
  • Freedom-loving Iranians rallied in San Francisco, Cologne, and Vancouver, supporting the ongoing revolution in Iran, paying homage to over 700 martyrs, and calling on Western governments to stop their appeasing approach toward Tehran.
  • “There will be an UN-established fact-finding mission into human rights violations in Iran,” said Amnesty International’s Iran Researcher Raha Bahreini. “This important and long overdue step shows that the cries of people in Iran for justice have finally been heard.”
  • “I will continue standing with the brave people of Iran as they demand their rights and freedom against a brutal theocratic regime,” said U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney. “The world must unite and hold the regime in Iran accountable for its abhorrent actions against its people.”
  • The Iranian government should not be on the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) an international body dedicated to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment,” said U.S. Ambassador at the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield. “Removing Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women is the right thing to do.”
  • “Pseudo-debates about the abolition of the ‘morality police’ aim to distract us from the grave human rights abuses in Iran, which will not work,” said German Commissioner for Human Rights Luise Amtsberg. “Even if this is more than a diversionary tactic – women in Iran are still prevented from living freely and with self-determination.”

Tehran Province:

Merchants and locals are reportedly on strike in Tehransar. Source

Locals in the Ekbatan bazaar are on strike and continuing the nationwide protests against the regime. Source

Merchants and locals are reportedly on strike in Sohrevardi-e Shomali St. Source

Protesters install a banner on Yadegar highway, calling for nationwide strikes and protests from December 5 to 7. Source

Abdolabad bazaar merchants and locals are on strike. Source

Darvazeh Shemiran bazaar merchants and locals are on strike. Source

“Victory is near,” a protester writes in graffiti on Borujerdi bridge in broad daylight. Source

Students of the Science & Technology University-Faculty of Electricity reportedly boycott classes in solidarity with nationwide protests and strikes. Source

Follow more updates on protests in Tehran

Qom Province:

Footage shows many merchants and locals are on strike in Qom city. Source

Kermanshah Province:

Footage shows many merchants and locals are on strike in Kermanshah city. Source

Javanrud merchants and locals are reportedly on strike. Source

Locals in Paveh are on strike and continuing the nationwide protests against the regime. Source

Ravansar merchants and locals are reportedly on strike. Source

Locals and merchants are reportedly on strike in Eslamabad-e Gharb. Source

Locals in Kangavar are on strike and continuing the nationwide protests against the regime. Source

Locals and merchants are reportedly on strike in Kuzaran city. Source

Fars Province:

Students of Shiraz’s Shariati University boycotting classes in solidarity with nationwide protests and strikes. Source

Locals and merchants are reportedly on strike in Sar-e Dezak from Shahzadeh Qassem to Shahcheragh, Shiraz. Source

Merchants and locals are reportedly on strike in Evaz city. Source

Locals and merchants are reportedly on strike in Sadra town, Shiraz. Source

Locals and merchants are reportedly on strike in Zarrin Dasht. Source

Locals and merchants are reportedly on strike in Zarghan. Source

Isfahan Province:

Merchants and locals are reportedly on strike in the ancient Naqsh-e Jahan Sq despite security forces’ threats and pressure. Source

Locals in Fuladshahr are on strike and continuing the nationwide protests against the regime. Source

Locals in Zarrin Shahr are on strike and continuing the nationwide protests against the regime. Source

Merchants and locals are reportedly on strike in the greater bazaar. Source

Footage shows merchants and locals are on strike in Najafabad. Source

The City Synthesis company employees are reportedly on strike in Sepahan, showing their solidarity with the nationwide protests and strikes. Source

Hormozgan Province:

Locals in Bandar Abbas are on strike and continuing the nationwide protests against the regime. Source

Employees of Al-Mahdi Aluminum factory are reportedly on strike in Bandar Abbas. Source

Mazandaran Province:

Merchants and locals are reportedly on strike in Babol. Source

Merchants and locals are reportedly on strike in Behshahr. Source

Footage shows merchants and locals are on strike in Sari. Source

Gilan Province:

Footage from Rasht shows locals and merchants are on strike. Source

Footage shows locals and merchants are reportedly on strike in Lahijan. Source

Students of the Islamic Azad University-Rasht branch reportedly boycott classes in solidarity with nationwide protests and strikes. Source

Follow more updates on day 81 of the protests