Growing labor unrest in Iran

Noura Bendari

Iranians are more confident today of the corruption of the mullahs who ruled their country for the past four decades than ever before.

Iran’s mullahs have nothing in mind but the desire to control Arab countries by all means, even at the expense of their people.

This is why ordinary Iranians go out to the streets every now and then to express anger at the policies of their country’s regime.

Labor strikes

Iran witnessed a series of labor strikes in the past few days, against the background of deteriorating economic conditions and the collapse of the Iranian national currency.

This economic deterioration was mainly caused by US sanctions on Iran.

Iranian workers are also furious because of their government’s mishandling of the Covid-19 crisis.

They demanded their overdue salaries. The government has failed in paying the salaries of the workers in all sectors of the Iranian economy because of deteriorating economic conditions.

Oil refinery workers staged a strike on August 1 against the background of the failure of the authorities to pay them their salaries. The workers also complained against high food prices.

Labor unrest was not limited to the oil sector. Sugar factory workers also maintain their strike which they started in late June.

The workers said they would maintain their strike until the authorities fulfill their demands, which include the payment of overdue salaries and the return of their sacked colleagues to work.

Collapse

These strikes come at a time Iran suffers deep economic and social problems. These problems compound the economic hardships faced by the Islamic Republic as a result of the US sanctions.

Nevertheless, the Iranian regime continues to offer backing, including financial support, to terrorist groups around the world. The regime also provides these groups with arms.

This raises questions on whether Iran is prone to more labor unrest in the coming period. It also raises questions on the effects this unrest can have on the Iranian regime.

Public anger

Iraqi specialist in Iranian affairs, Feras Elias, said the labor unrest permeating some Iranian cities is an expression of public anger at the economic situation in the Islamic Republic.

The US sanctions, he said, had exacerbated Iran’s economic woes.

“The same sanctions have made the Iranian regime incapable of offering any solutions to the economic and social problems Iran suffers,” Elias told The Reference.