This report documents 455 labor protests across 34 worker sectors in 83 Iranian cities from January to June 2025, amid a 32% year-over-year inflation rate. Economic hardship, driven by soaring inflation and stagnant wages, was the main driver of unrest, with protest activity continuing until the Israeli attacks on Iran (June 13–25), which further intensified workers’ struggles. Five government policy developments and legal drafts with potential labor impacts were tracked. Drawing on media reports, social media analysis, and direct input from contacts in Iran, the report offers in-depth insights into protest trends, worker demands, and state responses—providing a critical resource for international actors engaged in supporting labor rights and solidarity initiatives in Iran.

Key takeaways from labour protests and monitoring

• Between January and June 2025, 455 labor protests occurred across 83 cities in Iran according to our investigation.
• While the number of protests and strikes was significant, it is likely that the total would have been even higher if not for the outbreak of the Israel-Iran armed conflict by mid-June.
• Among the most prominent and high-profile protests were widespread rallies of retirees, intense demonstrations by farmers in Isfahan in April 2025, and a ten-day nationwide truckers’ strike in June.
• Main demands centered on delayed wage payments, wage increases aligned with the poverty line, implementation of pension and salary equalization policies, improved healthcare and social services, and opposition to layoffs and the exploitative practices of contractor companies.
• Labor activists faced arrests, prison sentences, workplace disciplinary actions, and, in one instance, a death row sentence, merely for peacefully advocating for their rights.
• While certain protests achieved success in compelling the government to reconsider their actions in specific areas, most fell short of achieving the desired outcomes.
• A tragic explosion at the Port of Shahid Rajaee in southern Iran resulted in 57 deaths and over 1,000 injuries due to apparent government negligence in handling flammable materials.
• Workplace accidents continued to be excessively high, claiming two to three lives daily in Iran.
• Iran’s energy crisis combined with a malfunctioning bureaucracy continued to put great pressure on workers, including bakers.
• In the realm of lawmaking, some initiatives supported workers' rights, while others did not.
• The international community can support Iranian workers by drawing attention to their plight and by helping the Iranian government attend to workers’ needs during (renewed) conflict.