Protests Expand Across Iran As Economy Continues To Nosedive – OpEd
As Iran’s regime continues to funnel the country’s resources to fund terrorism and warmongering in the region, the economy continues to decline, exacerbating dissatisfaction and protests in different segments of society. On Sunday, workers, retirees, and citizens took to the streets in different cities to voice their discontent with the country’s deteriorating economic conditions.
In Shush, southwest Iran, more than 400 workers from the Pars Paper and Pars Tabiat factories stopped working and rallied in front of the factory to protest the dismissal of their colleagues. The workers demanded that their basic rights be respected and that the dismissals be reversed.
In Sirik, southern Iran, locals held a rally to protest the construction of a water desalination plant that would transfer seawater to Isfahan. The protesters expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the project and the potential disruption to their livelihoods.
Retirees of the Social Security Organization in various cities, including Tehran, Arak, Tabriz, Kermanshah, and Ahvaz resumed protest rallies to demand higher pensions that keep pace with the rising cost of living. In Arak, a large group of protesters gathered and chanted, “You lying 6th grader, what happened to your promises?” referring to President Ebrahim Raisi.
In Kermanshah, the protesters chanted, “We will only get our rights in the streets,” highlighting the reality that the regime will not give them their rights unless they fight for it in their protests.
“What did these incompetent officials do to this rich country?” protesters chanted in Isfahan.
According to the regime’s own laws, the government is responsible to provide the basic needs of retirees and adjust their pensions according to the costs of living. But as the rial continues to depreciate, inflation soars, and prices skyrocket, the regime refuses to raise their pensions and attend to their needs.
At the same time, retirees of the steel industry in Isfahan, Ghaemshahr resumed protest rallies to demand higher pensions and basic services in accordance with the regime’s own laws.
Retirees from different sectors hold protest rallies as their living conditions continue to deteriorate under the corrupt management of retirement funds by regime officials. According to the regime’s own officials, retirement funds are bankrupt as the regime continues to extract funds from them for its nefarious deeds.
In Ahvaz, southwest Iran, dismissed workers of the Iran National Steel Industrial Group (INSIG) rallied to protest their unfair dismissal. The workers claimed that they were fired for demanding their basic rights from the company authorities.
The workers of INSIG held an extended series of protests in previous months to demand better working conditions and basic living needs. But instead of addressing their needs, the regime dismissed many of them and threatened them with punitive measures.
In Tehran, customers of the state-backed carmaker Iran Khodro held a protest rally in front of the offices of the National Competition Council. The protesters expressed frustration with the company’s refusal to deliver their Pejo Pars purchases and its decision to raise prices.
State-backed car companies have become some of the most important centers of corruption and embezzlement. Thousands of customers have been defrauded of their investments as the companies have taken their down payments without delivering their purchases or demanding more money.
In Takestan, northern Iran, orchard and well owners held a protest rally in front of the governorate to protest water shortages, which have severely impacted their livelihoods. Water shortages have become an endemic problem as the regime continues to damage the environment with its destructive polices and projects that allocate water resources to purposes that do not serve the public.
As the economic crisis deepens, it is clear that the Iranian regime is facing mounting pressure from its citizens, who are demanding that their basic rights and needs be met. The continued protests across the country suggest that the regime’s grip on power may be weakening, and that the people of Iran are increasingly willing to take to the streets to voice their discontent.
