Jun 07 2022

On Monday, June 6, 2022, retirees and pension recipients affiliated with the Social Security Organization took to the streets in 22 cities, and 18 provinces, across Iran. They protested officials’ failure to address their dire financial conditions and adjust their salaries with the skyrocketing inflation rate.

“Death to [regime president Ebrahim] Raisi,” “The government betrays, the Majlis [parliament] supports it,” “Our enemy is right here, [the mullahs] lie in saying it is in America,” “Retirees, workers; unite,” and “We can only obtain our rights at the tarmac,” chanted by protesters.

Yesterday, the Raisi cabinet approved an enactment, increasing the salary of pension recipients by 10 percent. This is while the official inflation rate is more than 40 percent. “We do not want charity; we do not want the 10-percent increase,” protesters chanted, responding to the regime’s deceitful decision. “The inflation rate is 100 percent, [the government] increase our salaries by a few percent,” they chanted.

Protesting retirees also blamed Raisi for failing to fulfill his promises. “Illiterate Raisi; what happened to your promises?” “Liar Raisi, where is the outcome of your vows?” “Raisi; shame on you, let go of the country,” and “Death to the deceitful government,” protesters chanted.

In Tabriz, the capital of the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan, security forces tried to disperse retirees’ march and gathering. However, they pushed authorities back and opened their way through oppressive forces. “Death to Raisi,” they chanted.
Raisi Signifies the Regime’s Failures in Various Aspects

In the spring of 2021, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei purged the “2021 Presidential Election” via his Guardian Council, paving the path for his protégé Ebrahim Raisi to take office. Khamenei and the terrorist-designated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vehemently touted Raisi as the mere solution for people’s enormous socio-economic dilemmas.

However, not only did Raisi fail to address people’s heartbreaking difficulties, but also he rubbed insults on people’s wounds in less than a year. The regime’s recent failures and a significant increase in public protests prove that Raisi was not a savior. Instead, he is a part of systematic corruption and gross human rights violations.

Protesters also mock Raisi’s baseless mottos about justice and financial reforms. “We heard a lot of lies but did not see justice,” “We no longer live under tyranny,” and “High prices and inflation are killing the people,” they chant.

Notably, in early May, the government removed subsidies for essential food staples such as wheat, egg, chicken, and cooking oil. The decision prompted public protests in various cities. The regime falsely claimed that bread price hikes were due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and counter-smuggling measures.

“The bread has yet to be rationed in the war-torn country of Ukraine, but [authorities] have increased the bread price due to the Ukraine war,” netizens mocked up the officials’ ridiculous explanations.

Citizens also remembered regime former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s quote about IRGC. “The huge benefit of cigarette smuggling tempts everyone, let alone our smuggler brothers,” he said in July 2011.

In such circumstances, the radicalization of social and financial grievances heralds a new era of nationwide protests in Iran. “Retirees’ cries for justice in Iran echo in Tehran, Tabriz, Rasht, Mashhad, Shiraz, Isfahan, Kerman, Ahvaz, Dezful, Mahshahr, Kermanshah, Abadan, and Khorramabad. I salute them for rising up to obtain their rights and demand an end to the mullahs’ regime in unison with all Iranians,” said Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

Source » irannewsupdate

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