Retirees affiliated with Iran’s Social Security Organization, the country’s largest state-run pension fund, held protests in multiple cities on Sunday demanding better pensions and improved living conditions as inflation and economic hardships persist.
Demonstrations took place in the capital, Tehran, as well as in Ahvaz and Shush in southwestern Iran, with retirees decrying low pensions, rising costs, and unfulfilled government promises.
In Tehran, banners displayed slogans such as, “Healthcare and livelihood are our absolute rights” and “Our income is in rials; expenses are in dollars.”
In Ahvaz, protesters chanted, “Iran is rich, yet incompetent officials have destroyed it,” and “Forget the hijab; tackle inflation.” Demonstrators also criticized the government’s priorities, chanting, “Warmongering is enough; our tables are empty” and “Our enemy is right here; they lie it’s the US.”
Protesters in Shush gathered outside the county governor’s office to condemn poverty, inflation, and wages below the poverty line, shouting, “Our rights can only be claimed on the streets” and “We won’t live under oppression; we will sacrifice for freedom.”
Social Security retirees have staged numerous protests in recent years over declining pensions and unmet demands. US-based rights group HRANA reported at least 1,279 protests and strikes in Iran in 2024, underscoring public frustration with worsening economic conditions.
