On the Occasion of International Workers’ Day 2025

Introduction

International Workers’ Day is a global symbol of the struggle for justice, fair wages, safe working conditions, social protections, and the right to organize. It is a moment to recognize the dignity of labor and the need for equity in the face of exploitation.

In Iran, however, under the current theocracy, workers are systematically deprived of even their most basic rights. The regime’s exploitative economic policies have driven millions into poverty, insecurity, and repression.

Economic Hardship: Wages Below the Poverty Line, Injustice, and Suppression

Below-Poverty Wages and Runaway Inflation

A key indicator of workers’ plight in Iran is their income level. On March 16, 2025, Ahmad Meydari, Deputy Minister of Labor, announced the minimum wage for the new year as approximately 10.4 million tomans (~$130 USD), while the actual cost of living is estimated at over 35 million tomans. In contrast, a human resources director in a petrochemical firm reportedly earns 247 million tomans monthly — nearly 24 times more.

Delayed Wages: Modern-Day Forced Labor

Wage delays are widespread, especially in the oil, gas, and sugarcane industries. Workers often go unpaid for months, amounting to modern forced labor practices.

Suicides Among Workers: A Silent Tragedy

Documented cases include:

• A young worker in Shush self-immolated in 2024 after failing to receive back wages.
• A 35-year-old worker at Abadan refinery hanged himself on August 16, 2023, after being fired.
• Three petrochemical workers in Ilam took their own lives in 2023.
• A worker in Hoveyzeh hanged himself in June 2020 over a denied advance of 500,000 tomans.
• In 2018, a worker from Haft-Tappeh and his children self-immolated due to extreme poverty.

Consequences of Poverty: Slum Dwelling and Child Deprivation

Over 26 million people in Iran live below the absolute poverty line. Many workers live in slums or informal settlements as they cannot afford housing. Government estimates suggest 20–45% of the population are slum dwellers — the majority are workers and laborers.

A 2023 report from Iran’s Statistical Center revealed that over 556,000 children aged 15 to 17 were not in school, many forced into hazardous work due to family poverty.

Unsafe Work Environments and Labor Exploitation

Lack of Workplace Safety

Iran is one of the most dangerous countries for workers due to a lack of safety regulations, ineffective inspections, and systemic corruption. Hundreds of workers die annually from falls, explosions, electric shocks, and mine collapses.

Workplace Accidents: Shocking Statistics

According to the Ministry of Labor, there are approximately 13,000 workplace accidents annually, with 700–800 resulting in death. ILNA reported around 50 worker deaths per week in 2023. In the first six months of that year alone, 1,077 workers died from work-related incidents.

Notable incidents include:

• The Bandar Abbas explosion, which left many workers dead or injured.
• The Tabas coal mine disaster in September 2024, killing 52 miners.
• In August 2023, 26 industrial workers died in separate unsafe facilities.
• A 2020 fire at the Haft-Tappeh animal feed plant injured three workers.

Disability and Lack of Support

Many injured workers are permanently disabled without compensation. One-third of construction workers are uninsured. Families of deceased workers often receive no life insurance or compensation.

Precarious Employment: Temporary Contracts and Mass Dismissals

Widespread Job Insecurity

Temporary, unsigned, and uninsured contracts dominate Iran’s job market. Employers exploit this system to dismiss workers at will and evade obligations. Over 90% of the workforce is reportedly affected.

In 2023, 4,000 workers at South Pars were laid off under the pretext of “replacement.” Supreme Leader Khamenei’s slogans about “job security” are contradicted by the policies that fuel this insecurity.

Systematic Repression of Labor Activism

Arrests and Torture

Workers demanding their rights face arrest and torture. Vague charges such as “propaganda against the state” or “threatening national security” are routinely used. Amnesty International reports that these detentions target peaceful labor activists.

Ban on Independent Labor Unions

Independent trade unions are banned in Iran. Workers have no collective bargaining rights and face systemic retaliation for organizing.

Gender Discrimination: Exploiting Women Workers

Women workers face even harsher conditions. Over 85% of women seeking employment are jobless. Those employed earn 40–70% less than male colleagues and suffer severe job insecurity.

There are 28.5 million inactive women in Iran, 5 million of whom are household heads. Many work without insurance, contracts, or safety protections, some even after 15 years of employment.

Women often work in places not covered by labor inspectors or during hours inspectors are absent. Their vulnerability increases daily.

Kolbars: Labor at the Edge of Death

In western Iran, thousands of kolbars (cross-border porters) carry heavy loads over mountain paths for minimal pay. Many are university-educated. In 2024 alone, at least 339 kolbars were killed or injured — 81% from direct fire by security forces.

Annual figures:

• 2024: 339 casualties (44 killed, 295 injured)
• 2023: 507 (44 killed, 463 injured)
• 2022: 259 killed or injured

The government offers no alternatives and continues military crackdowns in impoverished border areas. Kolbari is a symbol of economic despair and ethnic discrimination.

Child Labor: Invisible Victims of Poverty

Over 5 million children in Iran are believed to be engaged in labor. In cities like Tehran, Mashhad, and Kermanshah, children work in the streets and informal sectors without protection or education. Many face economic and sexual exploitation.

Labor Protests and the State’s Repressive Response

Thousands of strikes and protests have occurred in recent years, especially in Haft-Tappeh, oil refineries, and the railways. Retirees protested in over 20 cities against sub-poverty pensions. The regime responded with arrests and firings instead of reforms.

UN Special Rapporteur Javaid Rehman and Amnesty International have repeatedly condemned Iran’s crackdown on workers, reporting widespread torture, unfair trials, and systemic rights violations.

Conclusion

In 2025, Iranian workers face a worsening crisis of poverty, exploitation, dangerous workplaces, and psychological collapse. While their basic needs are ignored, the regime diverts national wealth into nuclear and military projects, foreign conflicts, and internal repression.

The IRGC controls a massive portion of the economy, smuggling an estimated $20–30 billion abroad annually.

So long as this regime persists in denying the fundamental rights and dignity of workers, the suffering and exploitation of Iran’s labor force and impoverished communities will only deepen.

International Workers’ Day must be a platform to expose these abuses and to call on the global community to support the workers of Iran.