[45740] Workers' Day in Iran: Social protest in the shadow of war and economic deterioration

Workers' Day in Iran: Between protest and regime messaging

In marking International Workers' Day (May 1), a deep split has been recorded in public discourse in Iran. While the authorities and the country's leadership emphasize the importance of workers as the "backbone of the economy," opposition elements and labor unions present a bleak picture of economic collapse.

The regime's position: "Economic jihad" as the order of the hour

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Media published a message from Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, calling on the public and the government "to demonstrate strong support for workers and teachers." According to him, "After proving its military capability, Iran must now win in the economic and cultural jihad." He called on business owners to refrain from firing employees and to treat them as an "asset of the economic unit." Similarly, Khabarfori quoted senior government official Elias Hazrati, who declared that the government "will stand against job insecurity" just as it stood against military aggression.

Opposition anger: "Oppression, poverty and exploitation"

Conversely, Iran International (which reflects stated opposition positions) reports on unbearable conditions for workers, including wage erosion, short-term contracts, and mass layoffs. Reza Pahlavi sharply attacked the regime and wrote: "The current situation is not worthy of the Iranian citizen," and called for the "overthrow of the regime" as the only solution to the crisis. Payam-e Iran (affiliated with the Mujahedin-e-Khalq organization) also presented a militant line and called on workers to "arm themselves" and join a democratic revolution.

The data on the ground: Alarming gaps

According to a report published by Iran International based on data from the International Trade Union Confederation and Oxfam, the real wages of workers worldwide fell by 12% between 2019 and 2025, while the salaries of CEOs soared by 54%. Within Iran, Khorasan Online notes that 70% of workers are minimum wage earners, which creates an "emerging crisis" for the future of the country, as "unchecked" inflation consumes the purchasing power of the weaker classes.