Nationwide strikes in Iranian factories

In Iran, many industrial workers have left because of rising prices.

Strikes were reported on social media in more than a dozen cities on Monday. Videos and articles showed labor protests in the southern provinces of Fars, Khusestan and Bushehr, the metropolis of Isfahan and the Kurdish regions, among others. Petrochemical companies were particularly affected, where workers are demanding significant wage increases.

International sanctions have significantly weakened the Iranian economy. At the same time, numerous critics accuse the government under President Ebrahim Raisi of incompetence. According to official data, inflation is around 50 percent. The arch-conservative Raisi was elected in 2021 with the lowest voter turnout in the history of the Islamic Republic. Today, the preacher is even criticized by supporters of the system.

Meanwhile, MPs have launched a vote of no confidence against Industry Minister Resa Fatemi Amin. The Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade is under increasing pressure from inflation and sky-high prices for new cars.

In addition to many people’s economic concerns, the Iranian government has also come under fire because of the recent protests. The women-led demonstrations in the autumn of 2022 against the repressive government course and Islamic rule were violently suppressed. Meanwhile, many women continue their protest by, for example, ignoring the mandatory headscarf. (oee/sda/dpa)