Telecom Retirees and Health Workers Rally Across Iranian Cities Amidst Deepening Economic Crisis
A sweeping wave of protests emerged across Iran on Monday, December 8, 2025, characterized slogans directly targeting regime corruption. While economic grievances remain central, demonstrators are increasingly targeting the regime’s wealthiest financial institutions controlled directly by the Supreme Leader’s office and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). This unrest coincides with a catastrophic collapse of the national currency and a sudden, astronomical rise in the price of life-saving medicines.
Targeting the Pillars of Plunder
On Monday, December 8, retirees from the telecommunications sector held simultaneous rallies in over a dozen provinces, including Tehran, Kermanshah, Hamedan, Tabriz, Isfahan, Gilan, Kurdistan, Fars, Lorestan, Hormozgan, Kerman, and Zanjan.
Unlike standard labor disputes, the protesters explicitly directed their anger toward the “Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order” (EIKO or Setad) and the “IRGC Cooperative Foundation” (Bonyad Taavon Sepah). These entities, which control vast swaths of the Iranian economy, were accused by the retirees of looting the funds meant for their pensions.
In Tehran, the atmosphere was particularly charged. Retirees gathered to chant against the regime’s propaganda apparatus, shouting, “Shame on our state TV,” condemning the media’s silence on their plight. Meanwhile, in Zanjan, retirees stood their ground despite heavy rainfall, refusing to disperse until their slogans against the regime’s “oppression and looting” were heard. In Kermanshah, protesters demanded an immediate investigation into the plunder of resources by leadership institutions.
December 8—Zanjan, Iran
Retirees of the Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI) rallied in heavy rain outside the telecom building, condemning oppression and the plunder of public resources by EIKO, the IRGC Cooperative Foundation, and leadership-linked institutions.… pic.twitter.com/d3xbjgw7Ap— People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) December 8, 2025
Labor Strikes and Healthcare Crises
The unrest extended beyond retirees. In Kermanshah, staff from various health centers and clinics gathered outside the Governor’s office. This rally was part of a nationwide movement by health workers protesting unpaid wages and deteriorating working conditions.
Simultaneously, in the strategic port city of Chabahar in southeastern Iran, the industrial sector saw significant disruption. Workers at the Mokran Steel project launched a strike after going three months without pay. One protesting worker stated, “Workers on this project haven’t been paid for months, and officials only delay payment with empty promises and lies about tomorrow.”
December 8—Kermanshah, western Iran
Health workers from clinics, bases, and rural health houses rallied outside the governor’s office as part of a nationwide action, protesting violated rights, unfair conditions, and systemic oppression. They demand justice, job security, and… pic.twitter.com/rTqG1GqyYo— People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) December 8, 2025
The Medicine Shock: A 9,000% Price Hike
Perhaps the most visceral display of the economic crisis occurred in Tehran, where citizens gathered outside pharmacies to protest the sudden unavailability and price explosion of Cystagon, a vital drug for patients with specific genetic disorders.
According to protesters, the price of the medication leaped from 500,000 tomans to 45 million tomans in just one month—a staggering increase that leaves the drug utterly inaccessible to ordinary families. Reports indicate that police forces intervened to disperse the desperate crowd.
This crisis follows the removal of the preferential exchange rate for imported medicines. The CEO of the Thalassemia Association of Iran warned that this policy decision is creating a “catastrophe,” predicting that costs for special patients will rise between 4 to 12 times. “Many people will no longer be able to afford vital medicines,” he cautioned.
December 8—Tehran, Iran
Citizens gathered outside pharmacies to protest the skyrocketing price of Sistagon, rising in one month from 5 million to 450 million rials. They demand affordable medicine and an end to rampant drug inflation.#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/gJN8k1hd7x— People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) December 8, 2025
Economic Freefall and the Fuel Trigger
Underpinning these protests is a currency in freefall. On Monday, the US dollar surpassed 126,000 tomans, while the British pound exceeded 166,000 tomans. The “Emami” gold coin broke the 134 million toman barrier.
Amid this instability, the government has announced a polarizing decision regarding fuel prices. A government spokesman confirmed that starting Saturday, December 13, a “third rate” for gasoline will be implemented at 5,000 tomans per liter. This rate is set to be floating, raising fears of further increases in the coming months.
As the currency collapses and basic commodities like medicine become luxury items, the impending fuel hike poses a severe risk of igniting broader unrest. The convergence of these factors suggests that Iranian society is being pushed beyond its breaking point, with reports from the ground indicating that national anger is on the verge of erupting.
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