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Strike Of Truck Drivers – Bond To Iranian People’s National Resistance And The Political Alternative
May 31, 2018 -10th day of truck driver strike
These protests have now engulfed 271 cities and towns throughout all 31 provinces
Taxi drivers joining the truck drivers' nationwide strike, continuing into the 10th consecutive day on Thursday.
This goes against rumours spread by the regime in social media of the strike coming to an end.
In spite of Iranian regime’s suppressive measures, truck drivers’ enter the second week of their prote
Steel truck drivers in Hamedan, along with drivers of construction machinery, all joined the truckers’ nationwide strike. Ahvaz, Mahshahr, Bukan and Isfahan were also cities where continuous reports are incoming from activists and the drivers themselves.Drivers lining up their trucks when joining the strike
In various cities taxi drivers and other hard-working people were seen supporting the truck drivers’ strike.
Iran's regime is using military trucks to break the will of the drivers & their ongoing nationwide strike bus drivers are calling for a strike starting Saturday, joining their truck driver colleagues.
The Iranian resistance calls on the public, especially the courageous young people throughout the country, to work in solidarity with the strikers and support the detainees, and calls on all international human rights organizations, labor unions and international transportation agencies to condemn repressive measures against striking drivers and to take immediate and effective action to release the detainees.
Several members of the regime’s parliament members have confessed to the consequences of the catastrophic livelihood of truck drivers: "More than 500,000 drivers across the country express their dissatisfaction and stage gatherings in some cities" (Farhang state radio, May 27).
The heavy vehicle drivers continue their strike while the regime has resorted to deceptive and divisive measures in a bid to end the strike. "According to an agreement, drivers and truckers will resume their work in the freight sector today," said Abdol Hashem Hassan Nya, Deputy Minister of Road and Urban Development, adding, "Representatives of the drivers’ guild associations accepted to continue to work and end the strike; … and part of the demands of drivers and truckers ... will be pursued." (ILNA state news agency- May 28).
All pledges and pretexts resorted to by the Iranian regime’s authorities, aiming to end the strike, have bore no fruit to this day and numerous reports from a variety of cities indicate the strikes continue unabated.
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May 28, 2018 -
Iran protests reported in Tehran & other cities
drivers of the Tipax transportation company in Tehran refused to deliver any loads and announced their solidarity with the country’s protesting truck drivers.
Tehran truck drivers on strike were also seen blocking the road to Khavaran.
In Tehran, a group of part-time teachers and Agriculture Insurance Department employees rallied outside the Iranian regime’s parliament on Sunday seeking immediate answers to their demands.
The teachers were seeking their long-delayed paychecks and to be officially hired by the Education Ministry. Currently, they have no guarantees in their jobs and are literally considered dayworkers.
The Agriculture Insurance Dept. employees were protesting poor living conditions.
In Ahvaz, southwest Iran, retired Khuzestan Steel Company employees staged a protest gathering outside the city’s Retirement Fund office seeking their demands answered.
As truckers across the country continue into the seventh day of their nationwide strike on Monday, minibus drivers in Yazd (central Iran) held a rally protesting skyrocketing prices and supporting their trucker colleagues. Truck drivers in Yazd also held a protest rally on Sunday.
With no end in sight for the ongoing strikes, various parts of Iran’s economy are feeling the impact.
A cement factory in Khash of Sistan & Baluchistan Province was completely closed down on Sunday. Truck drivers in this city are amongst the thousands on strike.
Incoming reports indicate a variety of cities are facing major gasoline shortages as truck drivers refuse to back down from their demands. Locals are supporting the truckers’ strike and becoming furious at Iranian regime officials.
In response, the regime’s Intelligence Ministry summoned truckers’ union leaders in numerous cities on Sunday morning, demanding they announce the end of their strike on social media.
Intelligence officials resorted to threats and Iran’s truckers showed strong will by refusing to back down from their demands.
Nationwide truck drivers strike into its 7th day on Monday
Reaching 257 cities and towns throughout all 31 provinces
In spite of these repressive measures, the freight terminals in various cities are half-closed, and drivers refuse to load and with lining up their trucks along the roads, demand for a solution to their problems. In Akbarabad Kovar (Fars province), 400 trucks drove to Shiraz while honking in support of the strike. In Ardabil, truckers prevent passage of loaded vehicles. In Ilam, the IRGC moves fuel using municipal vehicles and escorts.
On Sunday, Taxi drivers and taxi owners in Tehran, in solidarity with truckers’ strikes, protested against low fares and expensive spare parts. In Yazd, minibus owners also gathered in protest over expenses and in solidarity with striking truckers in front of the municipality.
Funeral Ceremony of a Popular Movie Star in Iran with the Slogan "Death to the Dictator"
On Sunday, May 27th, the funeral ceremony of the famous Iranian cinema star Naser Malek Motiei, with the participation of a big crowd of the Iranian people and the fans of this late artist, turned into an anti-regime demonstration. The participants who were angry with the regime's anti-Iranian and anti-art treatment of Naser Malek Motiei chanted: "Death to the dictator, Hail to Naser”; “Our disgrace is our (state) radio and TV”.
Naser Malek Motiei was one of the most prominent actors in Iran's cinema who was deprived of his artistic career for four decades and was isolated by the regime due to his failure to accede to the regime’s anti-popular policies. He passed away on Friday, May 25, 2018, at the age of 88.
In fear of spreading this funeral and anti-regime protests, the repressive forces attacked the crowd by sending anti-riot forces and tried to disperse the people by throwing tear gas and shooting in the air. The people confronted the mercenaries and continued their ceremony while chanting: “Shameless, shameless”; “State Security Force is our shame”.
Truck drivers across Iran are continuing their nationwide truck drivers and spread to more parts of the country covering 224 cities in all 31 provinces of the country. Strikers in many cities parade with long lines of trucks by honking and keeping their headlights on.
The clerical regime continued to crack down on strike yesterday. Repressive forces attacked striking drivers in many areas, such as Bandar Abbas-Sirjan route, Islamabad Gharb, Malekan, and Hamedan, with electric shockers and tear gas, wounding and injuring a number of them.
On Saturday, farmers of Varzaneh in Isfahan province rallied their tractors to support the strike of truck drivers. In Robat Karim, 280 passenger bus drivers joined the strike, and in Tehran, a number of taxi riders supported striking drivers by gathering on Gandhi Street. Taxi drivers of the Snap Internet Company, who are protesting their low wages and the dire situation of their livelihoods, joined the protests.
Maryam Rajavi Hail to the drivers of trucks and heavy vehicles in #Iran who have continued their nationwide strike for five days despite the regime’s repressive measures. Backed by their people, they are aware of their own power and have terrified the mullahs’ regime by their strike.
On Saturday May 26, students at Zahedan Azad University protested against insulting and humiliation of Baluchi citizens and Sunni Muslim rituals, and many groups of Zahedan people joined the protest by chanting "Do not be afraid, we are all together." It was written on the protesters' banners, “No to religious and ethnic insults.” Anti-riot security agents arrested a number of students at university attacks.
Maryam Rajavi, saluted the noble Baluchi compatriots and students and youth who have risen in Zahedan today, and said: "Shame and hatred for the clerical regime, which is the main source of discrimination and disunity in Iran today." She called all of the youth, especially in Sistan and Baluchestan province, to help and express solidarity with the students and youth of Zahedan.
Iran truck drivers on fifth day of nationwide strike
reaching 177 cities and towns throughout 29 provinces
– New footage
Iran, May 26, 2018 - Truck drivers across Iran are continuing their nationwide truck drivers strike into its fifth day on Saturday.
More cities are joining this massive effort, already inflicting severe impacts on the Iranian regime’s economy, reaching 177 cities and towns throughout 29 provinces after the fourth day, and covering all of Iran.
Reports from the Bandar Abbas-Sirajn highway in southern Iran indicate state police attacking the protesting truck drivers using tear gas and electric shockers. A number of the drivers at the scene are now wounded and injured.
Videos have also arrived from the cities of Tehran, Mashhad, Hamedan, Bushehr, Zahedan, Kerman, Kermanshah, Robat Karim, Neka, Borujen and Divandareh show dozens of other truck drivers also on strike.
1,700 fuel trucks in Isfahan Province alone are on strike.
Various media outlets in Iran are claiming an end to this general strike, while activists report these are fake reports and truck drivers have shown no sign of succumbing to the regime’s demands or hollow promises
On Thursday, May 24th, the nationwide general strike, of truck and heavy vehicle drivers continued in different cities of the country for the third day. The strike has already spread to 168 cities in 29 provinces of the country, and the queues of trucks that have rejected to load goods are getting longer continuously. This is despite the fact that intelligence agents have been deterring them from engaging in strikes since the very first day in various ways, including sending threatening SMS messages on the drivers’ mobile phones, and summoning some of them to the branches of Intelligence Ministry in their cities.
On the other hand, such a major strike, especially considering its growing and organized nature, proves once again that the Iranian regime’s policies are focused on nothing but stealing from the people for their own benefits. Even Iran’s transportation network, considered a vital aspect of the country’s entire economy, is very ill and the drivers very angry.
All the while, the Iranian regime is known to provide 6 to 15 billion dollars to Syria’s Assad regime alone to launch endless massacres against its own people and maintain its rule intact. The Iranian regime is providing for all such expenses, and even its own crackdown machine inside the country, by reaching deeper and deeper into the Iranian people’s pockets, now including truck drivers, by raising the price of their fuel and spare parts, increasing commission fees and…
However, the most important characteristic of this strike is how it is expanding throughout the country based on a high spirit of solidarity among those involved in this movement. Such a spirit was also witnessed back in the Dec/Jan uprising, continuing today in daily protests seen in Varzaneh of Isfahan, Khuzestan, Kurdistan and Kazerun.
This raises alarm bells of more dangers to come for the ruling dictatorship in Iran.
As a result, this nationwide strike will increase the Iranian people’s spirits against the regime and also plunge morale among the Iranian regime’s forces. In the bigger picture, the ruling mullahs will see their hands weakened and become even more fragile against a nation that seeks to overthrow their entire existence.
Iran Protests Update - Tuesday, May 22nd
Shahroud [Shahrud] locals against relocation of Road & Const. Dept.
Reported by PMOI/MEK inside Shahrud
Iran, May 20, 2018 - For the third consecutive day a large crowd of locals in Shahroud, northeast Iran, rallied in the city on Sunday, protesting plans by authorities to transfer the city’s Road and Construction Department to Semnan, the capital of their province.
Demonstrators were seen gathering at the entrance of the city market located on “22 Bahman” Street.
All store-owners and bazaar merchants in Shahroud’s fruit market have closed their shops and joined the protesters’ ranks.
Saturday’s demonstrations saw protesters completely blocking the 22 Bahman Street and continuing to express their protests throughout the city.
Protesters had also rallied on Friday night.
Iranian regime authorities are now pointing fingers in this regard, concerned these protests in Shahroud will gain strength, similar to the scenes witnessed in Kazeroun, southern Iran.
Shahroud is the largest city in Semnan Province, with access to the east and west parts of this governorate. As a result, placing the provincial Road and Construction Department in this city is completely logical and transferring it to another city has raised protests and tensions amongst the locals.
On Saturday, May 19, the people of Kazerun, continued their uprising against the suppressive regime's actions and killing and detaining their children by chanting “My detained brother must be freed!”, gathering and protesting in Shohada Square and in front of the judiciary of the mullahs regime. Kazerun shopkeepers also closed their shops and the pressure of intelligence agents to force them to open the shops did not succeed. The regime's agents, especially the intelligence agents, were deceptively trying to end the protests, but people are demanding the delivery of the bodies of the
martyrs and the release of the arrested. A number of protesters were martyred during a demonstration of the people of Kazerun on Wednesday that became bloody by shooting of the repressive forces. Ali Mohammadian Azad and Omid Yousefian are two of the martyrs of Kazerun's uprising. Omid Yusefian, who was shot on Wednesday by the Revolutionary Guards, died on Saturday due to the severity of the injuries sustained.
On Friday, the risen people of Kazerun turned the city into a scene of confronting the totality of the oppressive apparatus of the clerical regime. Revolutionary Guards, Basijis, plainclothes and anti-riot guards, who were sent from other cities to Kazerun, were deployed in the city's central locations and closed streets leading to Friday's prayer show. Nevertheless, the risen people broke up the hypocritical Friday prayer’s show by chanting slogans. The gathering in the Al-Nabi mosque, where the governor was supposed to speak, was disrupted with the slogan "The incompetent governor must be executed!” The attacks of repressive forces on protesters on the Shohada Street led to widespread street clashes and skirmishes. By burning tires, people blocked the path of repressive forces’ vehicles and defended themselves with stone and wood and breaking the mosaics of the streets.
The protests continued Friday night until Saturday morning. In Simashahr Square, people chanted slogans against the mercenary attacks: “Do not be afraid we are all together; and we are children of war, let’s fight”. At Quds intersection, the shooting of repressive forces on the protesters led to clashes where in addition to wounding the youth, a number of plainclothes and intelligence agents of the regime were also wounded. In the clashes on Thursday, the courageous young people also beat some of the murderers and forced them to flee. The injured mercenaries were transferred by a bus to Nourabad Mamassani.
According to the government IRNA news agency, Mullah Khorsand, whose speech was constantly interrupted by the protesters, said in today’s Friday prayer in Kazerun about the “attempt of some people to set the Friday prayer’s place on fire” that, "Some people on Friday morning broke one of the doors of the Friday prayer’s place in Kazerun and threw firebombs inside, which resulted in a serious damage to an air conditioner.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, saluted the brave martyrs and the mourning people of Kazerun on Thursday, calling for the immediate release of the arrested and called on all fellow citizens to help the wounded. In this regard, Mrs. Rajavi urged the sending of a United Nations research mission and a representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The protests and demonstrations of the people and the brave youth of Kazerun continued on Thursday night, May 17, and Friday morning. This was in spite of the fact that earlier, scores of the Revolutionary Guards, Basijis and special anti-riot units from different cities, including dozens of vehicles and buses from Isfahan anti-riot forces, were transferred to Kazerun.
In Tehran, for the second day, store owners of the most crowded Bazaar are unwilling to open their shops in protest to current economic conditions and inaction of the government to deal with it. Bazaar is known to be a key factor in the uprisings and many other business owners are taking part in it.
Isfihan truckers strike day2
A large number of truck drivers in Isfahan have stopped working in protest to low fares and no action being taken by the government.
Nationwide protests signal the Iranian regime’s domestic crisis
A group of farms in Ahvaz held a rally outside the governor’s office protesting and demanding a ban be lifted on the planting of various crops.
In Yasuj, many locals and residents of nearby villages rallied again outside the governor’s office protesting the lack of minimum necessities after a recent earthquake destroyed or severely damaged their homes.
A group of “Sahame Edalat” employees rallied in Tehran from across the country, protesting outside the Privatization Organization building about the limbo status of their jobs and not receiving their pensions.
Reports indicate a group of store-owners in Tehran’s Abbas Abad textile bazaar went on strike on Saturday.
On this same day in Malayer employees of the Kian Kord Company began protesting and demanding their delayed paychecks.
In Tehran, clients of the Caspian Institute credit firm held a rally outside the regime’s judiciary office.
In Eslamshahr, employees of the Taravros Company and the Abineh rail company held a gathering protesting not receiving their paychecks for the past four months.
A group of rice farmers held a rally Saturday outside governor’s office in Ahvaz, demanding their share of agricultural water for their farms.
Students of Mashhad’s Ferdowsi University held a gathering on Saturday morning protesting an increase in tuitions.
In Tehran, employees of the “Bagh Ketab” construction project rallied and demanded paychecks delayed for the past 11 months. They are currently on strike for the past few days.
In Khorramabad, employees of the Sadr Steel Factory are protesting their expulsion from work and demanding their delayed paychecks.
In Ahvaz, families of the protesters arrested during the Dec/Jan uprising rallied once again the regime’s so-called court. The fate of those arrested in this city during that period remains unknown.
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Protest gatherings in Ghazvin, Ahwaz, Mashhad and Tehran
May 11, 2018 - Several protest gatherings took place in various cities across Iran on Thursday:
Workers of the "Iran Ghooti" Factory in the city of Ghazvin, northwestern Iran, gathered to continue their protest against their indeterminate work conditions and uncertainty about their life sustenance.
In the city of Ahwaz, in southwestern Iran, workers at the Ramin Veis Power Plant went on strike for not receiving their salaries and benefits.
A group of nurses in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, staged a protest gathering.
In the capital, Tehran, bus drivers for the Melli University bus service, went on strike for not receiving their paychecks. They operated their buses without allowing any passengers on board.
May 11, 2018 -merchants, and store-owners in Baneh, Kurdistan province continued their 26th consecutive day of the general strike demanding the reopening of the Iran-Iraq border pass & protesting skyrocketing custom tariffs.
Worshipers in the city of Baneh on Friday, May 21st boycotted a Friday prayer sermons led by a mullah who is assigned to this city by the supreme leader Ali Khamenei. The protesters demanded the reopening of the border passed in their area for commercial business.
Several protest gatherings took place in various cities across Iran on Thursday:
May 11, 2018 -Workers of the "Iran Ghooti" Factory in the city of Ghazvin, northwestern Iran, gathered to continue their protest against their indeterminate work conditions and uncertainty about their life sustenance.
In the city of Ahwaz, in southwestern Iran, workers at the Ramin Veis Power Plant went on strike for not receiving their salaries and benefits.
A group of nurses in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, staged a protest gathering.
In the capital, Tehran, bus drivers for the Melli University bus service, went on strike for not receiving their paychecks. They operated their buses without allowing any passengers on board.
May 11, 2018 - Farmers of Naghadeh and Oshnavieh cities in Kurdistan province, northwestern Iran, gathered on Wednesday, May 9th in front of the sugar factory in their city, and blocked the authorities from moving the sugar out of the factory. The farmers are demanding their money for the sugarcane they sold to the factory.
The farmers continued their protest, despite a heavy presence of intelligence and security agents of the mullahs' regime who were trying to stop the protest.
Nationwide protests of teachers with the slogan: Political prisoners must be freed
May 10th, the working and retired educators in at least 32 cities in different parts of the country, including Tehran, Arak, Qazvin, Zanjan, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Homayoun Shahr, Shiraz, Mamasani, Shahreza, Shahrekord, Mashhad, Bojnourd, Birjand, Kazeroun, Saghez, Baneh, Sanandaj, Dehgolan, Marivan, Mahabad, Ghorveh, Ziviah, Divandareh, Tabriz, Rasht, Sari, Khoram Abad, Behbahan, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr and Hamedan, staged gatherings in protest to very low salaries, difficult livelihood and deprivation of minimum job benefits including efficient health insurance, and lack of job security and disregard for their demands.
In Tehran, the gathering was held in front of the parliament and the regime's Planning and Budget Organization. They chanted slogans such as: Efficient insurance is our absolute right; Imprisoned teachers should be freed. The teachers carried placards which read: Teachers, Workers, Students, United; Salary above the poverty line is the right of teachers; Bread, Labor, Freedom, Educational Justice; Access to quality, free and fair education is the right of all children. Repressive forces attacked the rally to disperse them. People confronted them by chanting: Our cries are because of all this injustice. In the attack, dozens were arrested and a number were injured. The eye of a female teacher was torn due to the severity of the blows. In order to prevent the spread of the news of this protest gathering, the mercenaries beat up the people and seized their mobile phones.
Teachers’ protests were held in front of the General Directorate of Education in different cities of the country.
In Kazeroon, the teachers gathered and chanted: Teacher dies, but does not accept discrimination; Imprisoned teachers must be freed. One of the placards read: The teacher's place is in the classroom, not in prison.
In Sari, the teachers staged their gathering while chanting: "Free Imprisoned Teachers" and "Salaries above poverty line is the right of teachers and retirees;" and "Standard schools are the right of students and teachers".
In Mamasani, the educators carried placards which read: The teacher’s place is in a classroom, not in a travel agency.
In Hamedan, the teachers carried a placard which read: "The enemies of teachers are the enemies of this homeland."
In Isfahan, the teachers chanted: The teacher is awake and hates discrimination and poverty; our salaries are paid in Rial, while the costs are in Dollar; We don’t want incompetent minister. They carried placards which read: We demand that all forms of discrimination (ethnic, gender, religious, class) be eliminated from the structure of the educational system of the country; Independent and free form of organization is our right. They also called for free, high-quality and fair education.
In Marivan, teachers, in the placard they carried, condemned the suppression of teachers’ gatherings in Tehran.
In Mashhad, the educators carried placards which read: Stop privatization of education. They demanded free education up to the end of high school and development of higher education in the country.
In Kermanshah, the protesters carried placards which read: Independent organization is our absolute right. They called inattention to education as the cause of poverty, injustice, discrimination and embezzlement.
In Shiraz, referring to the difficult livelihood of educators and the horrific situation of education, the speakers pointed out the thefts by the government officials.
In Bushehr, teachers staged a symbolic funeral ceremony for destruction of the education in the country.
In Khorramabad, the placards read: Efficient insurance is the teacher's right.
In Bojnourd, the agents of the repressive forces surrounded the gathering to prevent taking any photo or video from the gathering.
While saluting the working and retired teachers and educators, the Iranian Resistances calls on all the people, especially the youth, to show their solidarity with the educators who are deprived of their most basic rights and live in a very difficult situation. The unity of all oppressed walks of society guarantees Iran's liberation from the misery of the mullahs’ regime and the establishment of democracy and freedom and well-being for all the people of Iran.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
May 10, 2018
protest gatherings in Tehran, Dezful, Gorgan, and Naghadeh
May 7, 2018 – following an advance call, plundered shareholders of a variety of financial institutions gathered in front of the Iranian regime Majlis (parliament) on Monday, May 7th.
In Dezful, southern Iran, the looted investors of Mellal credit institution gathered in protest in front the Taleghani branch of this institution.
Strikes Continues For 23rd Day In Baneh Despite Repressive Measures
On Monday, in spite of hollow promises and repressive measures undertaken by the Iranian regime, shopkeepers and marketers in the western city of Baneh continued their strike for the twenty-third to protest at closing of borders and raising tariffs and extortions from border porters and small businesses.
During the past days, the regime’s security forces have arrested a number of strikers who did not give into the pressures by the regime's intelligence ministry. A number of others have been put under prosecution.
On Friday night, May 4, there was a clash between the people and the repressive forces that lasted till morning, during which at least ten protesters were arrested.
While saluting the people and the striking shopkeepers and marketers of Baneh, the Iranian Resistance calls for support and solidarity with the border porters and strikers and calls on all international human rights advocates to take urgent action for the immediate release those detained during these protests.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
May 7, 2018
Maryam Rajavi Hails the Heroic People of Baneh
6 April 2018-- Merchants and shop owners in Baneh started the fourth week of their strike.
They are protesting the the government's plan to close the border paths in western part of the country which prevents them from importing and exporting their merchandizes, and also the increase in import tariffs.
The regime has deployed its special patrols throughout the city and the its main centers in order to create an atmosphere of intimidation.
Mullahs' agents imposed an unannounced curfew by deploying troops in various parts of the city. The vehicles of suppressive forces and (IRGC) mercenaries in front of malls, threatening to detain the people.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi tweeted: "Hail to bazaar merchants, workers, porters and the heroic people of Baneh who started the 4th week of their strike despite repression and various pressures."
Three weeks of continuous strike
Baneh May 5, 2018- Merchants and shop owners in Baneh, west of Iran, started the 22nd day of their strike. They are protesting the closure of borders and increase in tariffs. The regime deployed its special patrols throughout the city and its main centers yesterday in order to create an atmosphere of intimidation.
Farmers in an area south of the city of Isfahan took measures to stop the flow from a local river by the authorities, protesting the transfer of water from agricultural lands to steel industry complexes and ceramic tile factories.
The farmers were confronted by security forces and the incident subsequently resulted in mild clashes.
For three months, disadvantaged farmers east of Isfahan have been protesting the lack of irrigation water necessary for their lands. Authorities have responded with heavy hands resorting to suppression, assaults and night raids targeting their homes, and the eventual arbitrary arrests.
5 May 2018- A group of people whose investments in "Afzal-e Toos" government-backed financial institution has been plundered, gathered in protest.
4 May 2018-- On Thursday, In Mashhad city Northwest of Iran, Carton Box Manufacturing Workers gathered to protest the closure of the factory and the fact that their salary has not been paid for that last five months.
The workers were holding signs on which they had written:
What happened to our demands? What happened to my bread?
Workers hands should not be cut
The largest carton box manufacturer was shut down in silence
Protests and demonstrations in various cities on the occasion of International Workers’ Day
Labor Day March; “Detained workers must be released”; further arrests in Tehran and SaqqezDespite the repressive measures and deceptive tactics of the Iranian regime, and despite the fact that the regime had refused to grant the workers a permit for their rally, the workers, the toilers and the looted people turned the International Workers’ Day on Tuesday, May 1st, into anti-government demonstrations in different cities to protest their catastrophic situation of work and livelihood.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, said on April 30, addressing the workers and the toilers: “The time has come for you to expand your protest movement and concentrate on the main cause of workers’ misery and destitution and to associate your protests with the nationwide struggle for regime change. Endeavoring to reach these demands is part of the struggle for the overthrow of the clerical regime”.
Some of the protest movements and demonstrations of workers and toilers on the International Workers’ Day are as follows:
1.thousands of workers, retirees, and other deprived people gathered and marched in front of the Majlis on the occasion of the International Workers’ Day and in protest of their dire livelihood. They chanted: “Detained workers should be released”; “Bread, housing and freedom is our absolute right”; “Astronomical salaries and public misery”; “Social security is our absolute right”; “Worker, teacher, student; United, United”. The workers carried placards which read: “Workers have no food to eat yet”; “temporary contract is the worker’s slavery”. One of the workers carried a big placard which said, “Oh, the billionaire minister! I have not bought meat for forty months.”
Repressive forces attacked the workers’ rally in front of the Majlis and a number of the protesters were arrested.
Meanwhile, a large crowd of workers rallied towards the regime's ‘Worker’s House’ in Tehran to express their protest by chanting “Death to the oppressor, hail to the workers”. One of the banners carried by the workers said, “Social security is the worker’s absolute right”; “we warn the Minister of Health to abandon the workers’ fund- the workers and retirees of Pakdasht.”
2.Hundreds of workers marched in the streets of Kargar and Hafez and gathered in front of the repression organization called Workers' House on Abu Reyhan Avenue. They objected to not issuing permits for their rally. The crowd chanted: "Death to the oppressor, hail to the worker.” The workers then moved towards the Jomhouri Street. The protesters carried placards which read: worker's table is without food; launching more free zones, result in more unemployment in the country. In some places, the gathering led to tension with the intervention of the police, and a number of workers were arrested.
3. A group of workers from the Bus Company Syndicate gathered at the Azadi Terminal in Tehran. They had a placard on which they wrote: "The International Workers’ Day: the day of unity, solidarity and justice-seeking”. The workers chanted: "Long live workers, long live unity; hail to syndicate; Workers, workers, united, united; independent organization is our absolute right.
4. In Yazd, a massive crowd of workers marched on Modarres Blvd. and Namaz square. They chanted: Workers are awake, they hate exploitation; with one less embezzlement, our problem will be solved; Workers, workers, united, united.
5. In Baneh, the toilers, shopkeepers and marketers continued their strike for the 17th day. Students at Payame Noor University of Baneh supported the city marketers and shopkeepers by gathering in front of the university and setting a tablecloth with no food on it. The protests in Baneh continued during the evening with a gathering outside the governorate building. The repressive forces deployed a large number of anti-riot black vehicles full of mercenaries and intelligence agents in the main streets of the city, including around the governorate, in order to intimidate the people. Three buses of IRGC agents were stationed at the governorate. There were mercenaries on motorcycles everywhere, and the internet was cut off too.
6. In the Naysar Township in Sanandaj, the Workers’ Day was commemorated by the rally of workers and their families. They carried placards which said: No to the killing of border porters; Workers are awake, they hate discrimination; Bread, housing, freedom; Woman=Man.
7. In Industrial Town1 in Sanandaj, hundreds of workers gathered. The workers marched from Industrial Town1 to Industrial Town3, joined hundreds of workers from the Industrial Town3, and held a joint celebration.
8. In Saqqez, a gathering was held on the occasion of the Workers’ Day in Chami Vali Khan Square, which was attacked by oppressive forces and their local mercenaries. The attack led to clashes. A number of protesters were arrested.
9. In Marivan, workers gathered at the Shabrang square and in Marivan Industrial Town on the occasion of the International Workers’ Day.
10. In Kamyaran, workers gathered at the central square of the city on the occasion of the Workers’ Day.
11. In Naqadeh, the workers and workers' activists commemorated the Worker's Day around the city.
12. In Bandar Abbas, workers at the Gulf Star Oil Refinery protested. Government employers who have not paid salaries and benefits of workers for at least two months, instead of responding to the workers' problems, fired 30 of them, and this trend continues.
13. In Qazvin, a group of workers gathered in front of the municipality.
14. In Isfahan the retired workers of Isfahan Steel Company gathered outside the Pension Fund building to protest against their dire livelihood conditions and the regime’s failure to address their problems.
15. In Shoosh, a group of Haft-Tapeh sugarcane workers held a ceremony in front of the factory on April 30.
16. In addition to the protest gatherings on the Workers’ Day, other protest rallies of the looted people continued on May 1st. In Karaj, people looted by Alborz Development Corporation gathered in front of the "House of People" in the city. The anti-riot guards threw tear gas and pepper gas at them, causing a number of people to be injured and harmed. At the same time, a large number of employees of the same institute gathered in front of the "rural cooperative" building in protest against the nonpayment of their eight months' salary.
17. In Rasht, the people looted by Caspian institute gathered in front of the branch of the institute, throwing dirt and spoiled eggs at it. Most protesters were women. They slammed rocks at the door of institute and broke its glasses and chanted: You dishonest thieves, give us your money.
18. In Mashhad, a group of looted people gathered in front of the governorate. They chanted: "Rouhani, the liar; where is our money;" "Rouhani, Rouhani, shame on you; Seif, Seif (head of the central bank) down with you".
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
May 2, 2018
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