Seven Teachers Arrested After Nationwide Protests In Iran

Iranian teachers have taken to streets in more nationwide protests after a two-day strike at their schools, as security forces arrested at least 7 activists.

On Monday, teachers held demonstrations in many Iranian cities to follow up on their demands for higher pay and release of their colleagues arrested in previous rounds of protests.

The spokesman of teachers’ trade associations, which organizes the demonstrations, said at least seven people have been arrested since Saturday, including three in Shiraz and two in Tehran.

According to Mohammad Habibi, teachers in 300 cities, town, and villages took part in the sit-ins in the last two days.

Teachers' protest in Esfahan on Monday.

Also on Monday, the Karaj Revolutionary Court sentenced a member of the council, Jafar Ebrahimi, to four years and six months in prison.

As in the past, the teachers gathered in front of the parliament building in Tehran and the provincial offices of the education ministry.

Habibi said teachers will not be intimidated by the attempts to suppress the protests and will continue protests and strikes until their demands are met.

People from different walks of life, including teachers, nurses, firefighters, and even staff members of the judiciary department and prison guards, have held regular protest rallies or strikes to demand higher salaries.

Food prices have risen by more than 60 percent in recent months, on top of high inflation in the previous three years, while the government is unable to sufficiently boost wages as United States’ sanctions impede full capacity oil exports and international trade.