Iran: Demonstrations of Farmers in Isfahan and Retirees in Tehran and Mashhad
Iran Uprising – No. 245
On Wednesday, January 2, retirees in Tehran and Mashhad and farmers in Isfahan demonstrated in protest of the tyranny of the clerical regime, their dire livelihood and the failure to implement the deceptive promises of the regime.
In Tehran, a large group of retirees gathered in front of the regime’s parliament. They chanted: Retiree, stand up, against oppression and discrimination; the government betrays, the parliament protects; we will not rest until we get our rights; no nation has ever seen such a lousy parliament; cry out from this much injustice; they use Islam to suppress people; imprisoned teacher must be freed; political prisoner must be freed; worker, teacher, student, unity, unity; enough oppression, our table is empty; we are all together; inflation, grief, answer Rouhani. At the same time, in Mashhad, the retirees gathered and demanded their rightful claims.
In Isfahan, thousands of deprived farmers gathered at Khaju Bridge and the Zayandehrood dry riverbed. They demanded their water right and opening of waterflow to Zayandehrood, and protested against the failure to implement the deceptive promises of the regime. The protesters, in whom women had a very impressive presence, then marched toward Si-o-se Pol (33Pol Bridge) in a siege of repressive forces and pushing back the ranks of the mercenaries. A number of protesters prevented the advance of anti-riot forces by sitting down the street. A number of farmers also marched from Khorasgan towards Khaju Bridge. They chanted: Death to the oppressor, Peace be upon the farmer; farmer dies, he does not accept humiliation; victory comes from the God, death to this deceiving government is a deceitful person; Even if we die, we will get our water right; Zayandehrood water is our inalienable right; Our government is our shame; Liar Rouhani, where is our Zayandehrood; No nation has seen this much injustice; Police, beware, we are laborers not mobs; Our shame is our state Radio and TV.
The protest movement of farmers took place while the regime was trying to prevent the demonstration by mobilizing anti-riot guards and scores of plainclothes and other oppressive agents, as well as the deployment of armored vehicles and water cannons. Plainclothes criminals and state security forces attacked protesters, a large number of whom were elderly farmers. The clerical regime had slowed the internet lines in this area to prevent farmers from communicating with each other, and seized handsets from protesters.
The repressive agents were trying to prevent farmers’ advance by shooting in the air and arresting a number of them. The people resisted these brutalities and shouted “rapscallion, rapscallion”. They prevented the lectures of one of the regime’s agents who came to the scene to deceive the farmers.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi saluted noble retirees in Tehran, Mashhad and other cities of the country, and the poor and hardworking Isfahan farmers who opposed the regime’s oppression and discrimination, saying that repressive forces are trying in vain to stop these protests by mobilization of suppressive forces and imposing restrictions and arresting protesters.She called on the public, especially women and youth, to support the protests, saying that protests, demonstrations, and the uprising of the various strata of the people along with the resistance units will continue until the final victory.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
January 2, 2019