Iranian bakers hold nationwide protests amid blackouts, soaring costs

Bakery workers staged coordinated protests across multiple Iranian cities on Saturday, calling for urgent government intervention amid soaring operational costs and unpaid subsidies.

Demonstrations were reported in Isfahan, Ahvaz, Birjand, Kermanshah, Qom, Shahinshahr and Mashhad, where bakers voiced frustration over the economic strain threatening their businesses and livelihoods.

Protesters held banners reading, “We are bakers, not slaves. Hear our voice,” and chanted, “Enough with the promises, our tables are empty.”

Footage verified by Iran International showed bakers in Mashhad returning their card readers in protest. In Qom, one baker said he had ceased baking for days, citing nearly a month of uncompensated labor: “I worked 27 days for nothing. The old saying goes, whether it’s a donkey or a fool, it’s still working.”

Bakers cite the failure of the government’s integrated system, delays in promised subsidies under President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration, and steep rises in fuel, insurance, and raw material costs.

Some complained of repeated power outages that destroyed large batches of dough. One video showed a baker smearing spoiled dough on his face in protest over the blackouts.

The protests follow weeks of similar actions outside governorate and municipal offices. In several rallies, demonstrators chanted for the resignation of what they called “incompetent officials.”

On May 7, Gilan governor Hadi Haghshenas acknowledged that current bread prices were unsustainable for producers. “Given the increase in labor wages and utility costs, a price adjustment is reasonable,” he said, adding that a working group would soon finalize a decision on revised rates.

The unrest underscores deepening tensions over basic commodities in Iran, where inflation and subsidy mismanagement continue to fuel economic discontent. Bakers say that without immediate relief, Iran’s most essential staple may soon be priced—or simply unavailable—beyond the reach of ordinary households.