Reported by PMOI/MEK

Iran, Jan. 9, 2019 - Despite rainy conditions, a large number of teachers held a rally Wednesday morning in Isfahan, central Iran. Gathering outside the city’s Education Department located at Enghelab (Revolution) Square, these teachers are protesting low wages and officials refusing to respond to their demands.

Isfahan has been a flashpoint for teachers’ protests.

On December 29, teachers and education workers of Isfahan demonstrated outside Education Department. The demonstration took place despite Iranian regime security and intelligence agents attempting to dissuade the teachers by threatening to take severe actions against them.

Since early in the morning, security forces lined up in the streets surrounding the offices of the education ministry to prevent the protests from taking place.

However, the teachers did not back down and started their demonstration in Darvazeh Dolat Street outside the mayor’s office. Security forces attacked used batons and pepper spray in attacking the rally. Clashes ensued and demonstrations continued, and security forces arrested several protesters.

Subsequently, groups of teachers gathered outside Education Department offices. Security forces attacked them, violently dragged several of them into their cars and took them away. Several others were forced into a clinic that was close to rally site. A security police officer threatened the teachers.

Isfahan teachers have been protesting low wages and demanding the release of imprisoned colleagues. The situation in other parts of Iran is similar. In the past few months, teachers across Iran have gone on strike at least twice. However, the Iranian regime has yet to take any measures into fulfilling their demands. In the past months, the Iranian regime has arrested at least 100 teachers and sentenced them to prison and corporal punishment.

According to reports, the repressive forces of the Iranian regime showed no pity to the demonstrators and brutally attacked them. However, the teachers continued to resist the security forces and chant slogans.

The Iranian regime had also dispatched plainclothes agents in different parts of the city to identify the teachers and people who were actively participating in the protests.