Zohreh Elahian, a member of Iran regime’s parliament, highlighted discussions regarding the minimum monthly wage for workers in 2024. She cautioned against disregarding the current societal conditions and the significant wave of discontent among the labor community. Elahian emphasized that the challenging living conditions of workers have led to an unprecedentedly volatile situation.
Speaking to the state-run website Rokna, Elahian stated, “Considering that the salary increase for workers in 2024 has not yet been confirmed, it is imperative to approach this issue with greater sensitivity, taking into account the prevailing societal conditions. Failure to do so will inevitably result in widespread dissatisfaction among the working community.”
Presently, the inflation rate stands at approximately 45%, with the monthly cost of living estimated to be at least 25 million Tomans, as acknowledged by government-affiliated labor organizations. The ILNA news agency reported last week, citing ‘independent calculations’, that the cost of living for working families in major cities has risen to 28,900,000 tomans.
Additionally, data from the Iranian Statistics Center indicates that the inflation rate for food over three consecutive years, from September 2019 to September 2023, totaled 145%.
This dire situation is compounded by the fact that the minimum wage for married workers with children, as stipulated by labor law, is approximately 8 million tomans.
Elahian’s “warning” underscores the stark reality of growing societal discontent, even acknowledged by officials within the regime.
Iran’s workers have learned from experience that simply increasing the minimum wage does not address rampant inflation; instead, their purchasing power continues to diminish.
The escalating wave of strikes and protests across various sectors of the workforce has reached levels unseen since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, Iran stands as a hotbed of labor unrest, unmatched by any other country in the region or even globally.
From working-class individuals to retirees, the rejection of the regime’s elections underscores the widening gap between the populace and the ruling regime. The regime’s social support base has never been smaller, and its isolation has never been more pronounced.
None of the regime’s factions possess the capacity to quell public anger through promises, and institutions such as the Worker’s House and Islamic Associations are failing to channel the grievances of workers and other wage earners.
The regime has yet to present any comprehensive plans to address the civil and subsistence demands of wage earners, relying solely on repression.
History has shown that reliance on suppression and violence only fuels further unrest and protests, rather than providing lasting solutions. Iran finds itself in a period of profound social turmoil.
