22 June 2021 – Retirees and pensioners of the Social Security Organization returned to the streets in protest against the government’s destructive polices and lack of response to their outstanding demands regarding low wages and pensions, insurance issues, and poor living conditions. Protests were reported in Tehran, Ahvaz, Dorud, Kermanshah, Shush, and other cities.
Retirees and pensioners have been holding regular protests as their living conditions continue to deteriorate because of the nosediving economic conditions, escalating inflation, and skyrocketing prices of food staples, including bread, milk, dairy products, eggs, poultry, and cooking oil. While previously, retirees had held weekly protests, they have now been held every day for the last 16 days.
In Ahvaz, the pensioners were holding signs that read, “The council’s decision must be implemented.” This is a reference to a statement made by the regime’s own Labor Council, which states that retirees are entitled to a 38-percent increase in their pensions due to different economic factors, including the rising inflation rate, the devaluation of the rial, and the skyrocketing prices of basic goods. However, the regime has so far only approved a 10-percent increase in pensions, which does not cover the basic needs of pensioners.
At the same time, shop owners in the bazaars of several cities continued strikes that began earlier this week. In recent days, strikes were reported in Arak, Kazerun, Minab, Isfahan, Tehran, Naghadeh, Khorramabad, Borujerd, Fasa, Ilam, and other cities. The shop owners are protesting the regime’s policy to increase taxes and the declining value of the rial, which hit a record low this week, trading at more than 330,000 to the U.S. dollar.
In Tehran, the retirees held a very large rally despite heavy security measures by the regime. The demonstrators were shouting “Shame on you” to security forces that tried to disperse the rally. In Dorud, protesters were chanting, “Enough with the tyranny. Our tables are empty.”