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On Monday night, dozens of workers were arrested during raids to their homes, as they pleaded for their basic human rights. But the protests continued and workers chanted: “Imprisoned workers should be freed.” The demonstrations took place despite the heavy presence of security forces attempting to thwart freedom of expression and intimidate the demonstrators.

The disenfranchised Iranians were demanding their salaries, which have been unpaid for months, improvement of work conditions and other fundamental rights. Workers, being threatened by repressive forces, said they would continue their demonstrations until the release of those arrested. The disillusioned workforce from different parts of Iran expressed their solidarity with Ahvaz workers and called for the immediate release of the detainees. The official Iranian Resistance movement - National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) - saluted the brave and adamant workers of the city. READ MORE: THOUSANDS of Iranians stage ‘DEATH TO ROUHANI’ protests

Iran news: thousands of angry Iranians are protesting in defiance of Hassan Rouhani's regime

Iran protests: video images from the most recent protests obtained by Express.co.uk

Iran news: NCRI footage from a previous protest

They described the brutal and mass arrests on Sunday night and on Monday as an indication of the frustration of “religious fascism” in the face of the strikes and protests of workers. The pro-regime-change faction called on all workers and youth and students, especially in Ahvaz and Khuzestan, to “support the striking workers of Ahvaz”. NCRI representative Hossein Abedini told Express.co.uk: “The Iranian resistance salutes the brave and courageous workers of Ahvaz. “The mass arrests on Sunday night and on Monday is an indication of the frustration of religious fascism in the face of the strikes and protests of workers. READ MORE: Iran EXPOSED: ‘Uninspected’ secret nuclear sites REVEALED

Iran news: footage from a previous demonstration

“We call on all workers and youth and students, especially in Ahvaz and Khuzestan province, to support the striking workers of Ahvaz. “We the NCRI also call on international human rights and workers' rights advocates and workers’ unions and syndicates in different countries to support the striking workers who are protesting for their basic rights, and to take necessary measures for the release of the arrestees.” The NCRI also demanded international human rights and workers' rights advocates and workers’ unions and syndicates in different countries to support the striking workers who are protesting for their basic rights, and to take necessary measures for the release of the arrestees. It is difficult to find any city in Iran in 2018 which has not witnessed mass protests, unlike in 2017 when only a few centres saw strikes, according to Iran News Wire.

An Iranian woman raises her fist amid tear gas at the University of Tehran in the 2017 uprisings