Violence Reported As Iranian Teachers Protest For Higher Pay

Iranian teachers protest for better pay in Tehran on December 13.

Teachers and educators in Iran are on strike for a third day in a row demanding salary rises, with police violence reported against protesters in Tehran.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the parliament building on December 13 to protest against what they consider unfair labor conditions, and to demand the release of one of their colleagues who was detained during a similar demonstration two days earlier.

Video posted on social media showed scuffles during the rally as security forces apparently tried to detain one of the protesters.


Rasoul Bodaghi, a civil activist and member of the teachers union, was said to have been beaten by officers during his arrest on December 11.

In recent months, teachers and other educators have reportedly taken to the streets of Tehran, Yazd, Shiraz, Qom, Kerman, and dozens of other cities across Iran to protest against the failure of the government and lawmakers to fulfill their promises to improve their situations.

Security forces sometimes responded using heavy-handed tactics and arresting protesters.

The wave of protests come amid soaring inflation as the impact of government mismanagement and financial sanctions imposed by the United States over Iran's nuclear program decimate the economy.